Santa Clauses Are Coming to Town
by RoadrunnerGER
Summary: Advent Calendar: It seemed to be a pretty normal day until the Santas came to town. A funny Santa, a group of evil Santas, a blizzard over New York and two detectives trapped in between. EO friendship
1. Santa Claus is coming to town

**Santa ****Clauses Are Coming to Town**

**LO:SVU** song inspired Christmas story…

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU or any other show mentioned here. I don't own the rights of the songs either. I'm making no money out of this whatsoever. Don't sue me, I have no money.

A/N: Before I joined FFN I had the idea to write an _Advent Calendar_ and started to write _Santa Incident_, my first fanfic ever. But it didn't work out as I planned and when I finally joined in December it was way too late. When I reread this story in October I thought that I would do some things differently now and so I decided to rewrite it the way I wanted to do it last year.

As it is the nature of an Advent Calendar, a new short chapter will come up each day. Please have fun and let me know what you think, okay. ;) Many thanks to my beta-reader who helped me so much. This story is for _JO, Iluvstabler,_ _Future Mrs Stabler_, _Obsessedwithstabler_, _Sweet-4-Stabler _(LOL), all my reviewers and all the fans out there who read and share here on FFN.

**1**

**Santa Claus is coming to town**

_Santa Claus is coming to town_ jingled out of the speakers in Elliot Stabler's car. After picking up his partner, Olivia Benson, they were heading for the station, singing along with Bing Crosby & the Andrews Sisters. Now it was the Sisters' part and Olivia grinned widely as she tried to keep her voice synchronous to the song.

Elliot returned her grin mischievously when he stopped at a red traffic light. It did not happen too often that she was in such a playful mood. But after an undisturbed weekend, the first in December, and the first snowflakes tumbling down, she was really relaxed.

The snow began to cover everything in white. In the morning twilight the decorations that illuminated almost everything in the streets glistened like candles on a tree and spread Christmas cheer to everyone.

_He sees you when you're sleeping and he knows when you're awake_, Olivia sang with the Sisters and Elliot fell in right behind her together with Bing, He knows if you've been bad or good. So be good for goodness sake!

_You better watch out, _you better not cry_, you better not pout, _I'm telling you whythey sang in turns, then the same part was repeated by all of them. _Santa Claus is coming…_

You mean the big fat man with the long white beard, sang Elliot, emphasizing every word of the line with an even broader, mischievous grin.

_He's coming to toooown, _they all sang and an instrumental part ended the song.

Neither Elliot nor Olivia cared about the fact that their singing was totally off key. In the car they were in a small world of their own where it did not matter. It _would_ matter if they ever repeated this in front of their colleagues. They both knew that they would never do _that_, well, at least they would not do it as long as they were sober enough to know better.

"So, what did you do your first December weekend?" Olivia wanted to know.

"On Saturday we were in Manhattan," Elliot replied. "The girls went on a shopping marathon. Later we went skating on Wolman rink." He chuckled. "We got home late. The kids were pestering us to eat somewhere in the city, so we went to our favorite Chinese restaurant." Now he grinned at her. "And yesterday we went to the morning mass and then to Kathy's parents for lunch and coffee."

"Sounds as if you were pretty busy." Olivia could not hide a hint of jealousy in her voice.

"Worse than work," he joked.

"Oh! Really?" she played his game.

"Yeah. Have you ever been shopping with four girls?"

"Yes, I was," Olivia giggled. "That's because I'm a girl."

"Oh, how could I ask! You're always going in groups, even for the restrooms," Elliot chuckled.

"Very funny!" she grumbled.

"Well," he shrugged, "it's true."

She could not deny that. They _were_ going in groups. Olivia just opened her mouth to tell him about her going dancing on Saturday night together with Alex when, at the very moment the light flashed from red to green, someone in a Santa suit jumped in front of the car. Even if the car was still standing, Elliot jammed on the breaks. Their talk was forgotten when the Santa opened his coat, presenting his jingle bells and shouting _Merry Christmas_.

"Do you see what I see?" both the detectives asked each other incredulously.

As fast as he had jumped into the street the Santa jumped out and walked away down the street.

"We don't let him get away with that, do we?"

Olivia opened the passenger's door and was out of the car before Elliot had a chance to reply. Incredulously he stared at her back, then he followed her with the car.

Olivia was only few yards behind the Santa, when he noticed her and began to run.

"NYPD," she shouted. "Stop!"

The Santa did not think of complying to her order for so much as a second. He just ran even harder, but he was left no chance. He ran right into Elliot's SUV, Olivia hit him from behind and got him into a firm grip.

"Hey!" he protested. "Let go of me! What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm arresting you," she replied, clicked her cuffs around his wrists and presented her badge to him. "You have the right to remain silent…" she read him his Miranda rights.

Elliot stood in the open driver's door and had nothing else to do than to wait until she was finished. Olivia shoved the Santa in the backseat and on they went to the precinct.

"Liv," Elliot said hesitantly while he was driving. "I think we should have called a sector car to transport this guy."

Olivia was confused. "He's fine back there, El, why? What's wrong?"

He squinted over at her and grimaced.

"Well, he reeks of pot, and Kathy and I have to do the grocery shopping tonight. What am I gonna tell her if she smells it?"

"Why not tell her the truth? You apprehended a flasher on the way to work and transported him in your car?"

"She's not going to like that very much."

"Well, no one said that she'd have to like it. You just should tell her the truth."

Thinking hard he bit his lower lip, then he nodded.

Everyone was cheering, when they entered the bullpen with the Santa in their tow.

"Don't you think that's a bit early?" John shouted.

"Yeah, still almost four weeks 'til Christmas," Fin added.

"Three and a half," Liv replied. "And he's not here to entertain you."

"Even if he might want to," Elliot chuckled, thinking of the reason they had arrested him.

"Did I miss a memo or something? Since when did we start busting unlicensed street performers?" Fin wanted to know.

"Since they started jingling their bells in the public street," Elliot replied.

As long as the coat was closed nothing suspicious could be seen. The Santa wore heavy, red boots and red trousers with the crotch cut out. His hood was thrown back on his shoulders and his long white beard hung lopsided under his chin.

"Bells?" John wondered. "His bells?"

"Right," Elliot confirmed.

Neither he nor Olivia joined in the ensuing banter. They guided the Santa to the interrogation room and told him to sit down. Then they left him a few minutes on his own.

"Okay," Olivia began, when they came back. "I'm Detective Benson, my partner, Detective Stabler. We're curious. Isn't it a bit too cold to indulge in such a hobby?"

"I don't know what you want. It's my body. I can do what I like."

"As a matter of fact, you can't," Elliot said, presenting that smirk Olivia saw so often during interrogations when a suspect was unaware of having done something wrong.

"Why can't I? It's a free country…"

"Well, presenting yourself to others this way is considered obscenity," Olivia declared, "which is a Class A misdemeanor."

The Santa swallowed. "I'm in trouble?"

"You can say so, yes," Elliot confirmed, suppressing a grin.

"Can I call a lawyer?"

"Of course you can."

"Then it will be better if I don't say anything before he arrives, hm?"

The both detectives looked at each other. He was absolutely right.

tbc…


	2. It's snowing Santas

**Santa ****Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU** song inspired Christmas story…

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU or any other show mentioned here. I don't own the rights of the songs either. I'm making no money out of this whatsoever. Don't sue me, I have no money.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. :D Have a great first Advent. :)

**2**

**It's ****Snowing Santas**

"Where is this world going if even Santa Claus is freely following his lusts?" John Munch wondered aloud when Olivia and Elliot handed the Santa over to some uniforms who would handle booking him.

"Yeah, what a fantastic Monday morning," Fin Tutuola agreed sarcastically. "I'm really getting into Christmas mood… church bells keep on ringing... Santa's been smokin' a joint…"

"You know, recent Canadian government research has shown that although smoking marijuana increases one's libido, it also causes shrinkage of the male sexual _equipment_," Munch said.

"So what?" Fin wanted to know.

"So maybe they should start a new anti-drug public service announcement for the holidays. Smoke a doobie, and your church bells will turn into a set of cheap wind chimes. They could do some very interesting audio-visual effects with that."

"What does that tell us? That we should sentence sex offenders to chain smoking marijuana cigarettes until they can't be dangerous anymore? I think there might be quite a few tokers who would go out and commit sex crimes just because they _want_ a sentence like that."

Munch was not the only one who was chuckling now.

Olivia and Elliot were about to return to their desks, when Cragen stepped in their way.

"I need you to go to Mt. Sinai," he said and gave Olivia some papers. "Gang rape."

"Fin's right," Elliot grunted. "What a fantastic Monday morning."

"Must have happened last night," Olivia said, scanning the reports. "She was only found this morning."

"Doesn't make it better…" Elliot put on his coat and got Olivia's for her.

"She's just fifteen…" she mumbled as she put it on.

When they reached the hospital they talked to the nurse first.

"The poor gal was in really bad shape," Nurse Eugenie said. "In addition the wounds caused by the repeated rape she got frost-bite."

"How long was she left in the cold?" Olivia asked.

"We don't know." Eugenie turned deep red with anger. "The bastards threw her behind a Dumpster as if she was only trash to them, too. I can't understand it! As often as I have to face it on the job, I can't understand it!"

_We don't either_, Elliot thought. By the look on Olivia's face he could tell that she harbored the same feelings.

"Can we talk to her?"

"You can try, Detective. The poor girl, her mother's a single mother and can't be here… she has to work, stupid boss didn't let her go. She stopped by earlier, but if she doesn't want to be a single mother and without a job she had to be on time. That's sooo sad." Eugenie told them as she led them to the girl's room. When they reached it, a hysterical man in his late thirties rushed toward them, muttering, "Patricia? Patricia…?"

Eugenie became stern at once.

"And you are?" she asked politely but still resolutely.

"Benjamin Rawlins," he panted. "Where's my daughter? They told me that my daughter's here…"

"Mr. Rawlins," Elliot stepped forward. "I'm Detective Elliot Stabler, my partner, Olivia Benson…"

"I need to see Patricia!" he interrupted him. "Where is she?"

"She's right in here," Eugenie said.

"Can we talk for a moment?" Elliot asked.

"I just got a call that she's here," Mr. Rawlins exploded. "My bitch of an ex-wife didn't even inform me that our daughter was raped!"

The detectives looked at Eugenie. She shrugged. "She told me otherwise…" she explained.

"What did the witch say? That she's a poor single mother who can hardly afford to feed them both? This lying slut keeps me from my daughter and is selfishly sitting in some beauty parlor to let her…"

"Mr. Rawlins," Elliot tried to stop him. "Can we talk?"

"I don't want to talk, I want to see my daughter!"

"Mr. Rawlins," Olivia stepped between the men, "why doesn't your wife want you to contact Patricia?"

"Because she's a bitch! I'm just good enough to pay child support she can spend on her selfish needs instead of caring for Patty!"

"Did something happen before your divorce?" Elliot wanted to know.

"Yeah, she slept with other men," Rawlins hissed. "Why is that important now? She cleaned me out and now I have to beg if I want to see Patty… or meet her secretly."

"See, Mr. Rawlins, your daughter was…" Olivia started but was interrupted, too.

"What do you want to imply?" Rawlins thundered, realizing what she was referring to. "You think I could hurt her? You think I might be… you… you!"

"Mr. Rawlins, try to calm down," Elliot told him. "We're just doing our job."

"Then you should try find my daughter's rapist!" Rawlins growled.

"We were about to talk with her when we met you," Olivia explained. "Do you want to be present?"

Rawlins swallowed, thinking hard his forehead crumbled. "We should ask Patty if she wants me there," he finally replied.

Elliot and Olivia were surprised by this reaction. Eugenie nodded and opened the door, peeking in.

"Honey?" she said. "Here are two police officers who'd like to talk to you. Honey. Is it okay?" Then Eugenie backed off. "Just call me…" she said before she left.

The detectives nodded their thanks. Olivia was the first who stepped to the bed. Elliot held back and stayed few steps behind her. Yes, he was trained and as careful with victims as Olivia… still he was male. And as long as she was his partner she was the first to make contact and introduce him.

But when the girl spotted her father entering behind them, she cried out, "Daddy!" reaching weakly out for him. He rushed to her side and took her slim hand with both of his big and strong hands.

"Hey, sweetie," he murmured. "I'm here now." There were tears in Patricia's eyes. "Can the detectives talk with you? Can you answer their questions?"

Desperately holding on to him she nodded.

"Hello, Patricia," Olivia said. "I'm Detective Benson and this is my partner Detective Stabler, but you can call us Olivia and Elliot if you want."

Elliot watched the girl cringe back when her gaze flickered to him. Tears sprung in her eyes.

"No," she whispered and shook frantically her head. "No, no, no…"

"It's okay, Patricia," Olivia tried to soothe her. "No one's going to hurt you. You're safe now. We both are detectives. There's nothing to be afraid of." She glanced at Elliot. _Stay there_, this look said. As if he would have needed the reminder.

"Patricia, you would help us a lot, if you could answer some questions. Do you think you can do that?"

The girl slightly nodded.

"Can you tell me how you were attacked?"

"I'm… not sure," Patricia whispered. "I was walking down the street wh… when some… some…one grabbedmeby…" her voice became faster and she swallowed the words.

"So, someone grabbed you when you were walking down the street," Olivia summarized. "Have you seen him?"

"No."

"Did he grab you from behind?"

"Y..yea. Dragged me… into a van."

"Do you remember its color?"

She shook her head. "It was dark… blue, black, green… I don't know."

"Can you tell me what happened next?"

"They hurt me!" She shook with sobs, tears rolling down her cheeks, and she frantically squeezed her father's hand. "While they were driving. Hurt me so bad. When they stopped, others came…"

"Do you remember any detail that might help us?" Olivia asked softly.

Patricia sobbed heartrendingly. "Nothing… all red… all in… in…" her voice trailed off. Both detectives waited patiently until she regained it. "They were all in… in… S… San… Santa suits," she stuttered.

tbc…


	3. Interrogation

**Santa**** Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU**

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU . I don't own the rights of the songs either. I'm making no money out of this whatsoever. Don't sue me, I have no money.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. ;) Many thanks to my beta _JO_ for providing me with information about legal procedures as well as about other useful things I did not even know I might need. :D Thanks. :)

**3**

**Interrogation**

"These guys all wore Santa Claus costumes?" Cragen asked astonished.

Olivia and Elliot nodded in unison.

"She didn't see anything but red hoods and white beards," Olivia said. "She saw them switch places, but the only way to tell them apart was the different colors of their eyes."

"So, they dragged her into their van…?" ADA Alex Cabot, who was with them, too, asked.

"Yes. She was on her way home from visiting her friend Amber when someone grabbed her from behind. They dragged her into the car and drove away. As soon as she was in someone pulled down her pants and was over her. Then they changed. When they stopped more Santas came and did her, too. After everyone had a turn, they drove her away and threw her out in the alley behind the trash containers."

"She was too weak to move," Elliot added. "Nurse Eugenie said two homeless men had brought her in. She called the police and they called our squad."

"Have you met these men, too?" Cragen asked.

"No. They did a disappearing act. No one knows them. We won't find them out on the streets."

"Do we know where she was found exactly?"

Olivia shook her head. "No."

"CSU is already working on the rape kit. They'll call as soon as they get something."

"Okay," Cragen said. "Any other lead?"

Both were thinking for a moment.

"The parents are quite interesting, but they won't have anything to do with the assault," Olivia said, and looking at the ADA she asked, "Can't you do something for the father? The mother's keeping him from his daughter, but he still has to pay child support. He seems like a decent guy, and from what I've seen, he cares more about Patty than her mom does."

"Why? What did you see?"

"Well, dad was there for his daughter, mom wasn't," Elliot said dryly. "And Patty was glad to see him. The nurse says the mom claimed she had to go to work, but the dad says she doesn't work."

Alex just shrugged. "If that's the case, it sounds like Patty got placed with the wrong parent, but who's to say the dad isn't the one lying? Maybe there's another reason the court thought the mom was the better parent. I'd need to know more before I could do anything."

"You'll get to know more," Olivia said, determined. "Go visit Patty in the hospital, and you'll see what I mean."

"Okay," Alex agreed. "Now, do you have anything else on the case itself?"

Frowning thoughtfully Olivia said, "Elliot, what about the Santa from this morning? Do you think he might know something?"

Elliot squinted over at her. "You mean something like a colleague who's interested in little girls? That's weak. I mean, it's not like these guys go out drinking together in their Santa suits after work, Liv."

"No, but the better stores must require some kind of training before they'll let a guy start holding little children on his lap," she said. "He might remember someone from that, and weak is better than nothing."

"You can at least go and ask him," Cragen said.

"Very weak." Still, Elliot frowned. "I have a hunch the guy we have now and the ones we're looking for didn't have any training."

"You got a better idea?" She saw him shake his head. "C'mon, then, as long as he's still in custody. We have to talk with him anyway as soon as his lawyer's here."

"Wait a minute!" John shouted after them, holding up the receiver of his phone. "CSU, line three."

Elliot answered the call. He nodded several times before he hung up again.

"That was Detective Taylor," he said. "They got two different DNAs."

"Just two?!" Olivia breathed. "Are they sure? There must have been more than five or six offenders!"

Elliot nodded grimly. "And he got the tox results of Lindsay DeBrino. She was definitely drugged."

"Son of a bitch!" Olivia muttered. Lindsay DeBrino was an assistant manager who was assaulted in the closet down the hall from the ballroom where her company held their annual charity banquet. The cater waiter who assaulted Lindsay was already in custody. They needed the information for the arraignment.

"Okay, guess that's it for now," Elliot declared. "Let's go talk with our Santa."

"I'd like you to wrap up the Gordon case first," Cragen said. "You can still question the Santa later, can't you?"

"Sure we can. There's enough time left until the arraignment." Olivia was not happy. She wanted to do something for Patricia. But then again all victims deserved their full attention. She sighed and followed Elliot to their conjoined desks.

xxx

"Detective Stabler?"

Under the doorframe stood a thirty-something man with unruly black hair. He came in, approaching their desks.

"I'm detective Stabler," Elliot said. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm Benton Traylor. Do you have Milton Bradley in custody?"

"Yes, we do."

"What's the charge?"

"He's charged with obscenity," Elliot told him.

"Milton Bradley?" John mused, looking up from the file he was working on. "Is he a trust-fund baby? Is he going to beat us over the head with a $ 1,000 an hour lawyer for a lousy misdemeanor, or is he going to pay you in Monopoly money?"

"I definitely don't get $ 1,000 an hour," Traylor said, sounding slightly confused. "I'm an assigned counsel."

"Then let's go talk with your client," Olivia threw in. She led the way to the holding cells where Bradley was waiting. They took him to an interview room where he was talking with his lawyer for a few minutes.

"So," Elliot said, "our colleague just told us that you're wearing a famous name. Are you related with the game manufacturer Milton Bradley?"

"How's that relevant?" Traylor wanted to know.

"It's not," Elliot replied. "I'm just curious."

"No," Bradley answered. "It's just an unfortunate coincidence. My maternal grandfather's name was Milton. My mom named me after her dad and my dad's last name was Bradley."

"Ah, I see." Elliot leaned against the wall next to the barred window. "Well, it's time for you to _go to jail_. Go directly to jail. Do not pass go. Do not collect $ 200."

"Actually, that's a Parker Brothers game," Bradley told him, looking bored as if he had to explain it for the umpteenth time. "They were bought out by Hasbro, and Hasbro also bought out Milton Bradley."

"Clever guy, huh?" Elliot teased. "Then you should be clever now, too, and don't make any fuss, because we both saw you expose yourself… directly in front of our car. That's obscenity. Then you ran; that's evading arrest. And the officers who booked you said that baggie full of weed in your pocket weighed 8.3 ounces, just enough for criminal possession in the third degree, which is a felony, my friend. You're looking at doing time."

Traylor looked at Bradley. The young man had gone white and his eyes shone with rising panic. So Traylor turned to Elliot,

"My client has no criminal record and…"

"Do you have kids?" Elliot asked. "Would you want him to jingle his bells in front of your kids? How do you know he doesn't have a bunch of elves dealing drugs for him?"

Traylor frowned. "That's irrelevant for the defense. I have to act in my client's best interest."

"Ah, he has a point." Elliot pushed himself off the wall, closing in on Bradley. With both hands flat on the table he leaned forward to get into his face. "But we're talking about drugs _and_ a sex crime…"

"That's a misdemeanor," Traylor interrupted him. "At most he'll get probation. Call your ADA. We'll cut a deal and he'll be home in time for supper."

"It's not that easy, Counselor," Elliot said with a shake of the head, still holding eye contact with Bradley. "As of 10:00 this morning your client became a person of interest in a gang rape. In fact, since we have him in custody and two NYPD detectives witnessed him committing a sex crime, I would say he's actually our number one suspect."

"Gang rape?" Bradley panted. "Why…?"

"Don't say anymore," Traylor advised him.

"Actually that's not a good idea." Elliot shook his head. "Your cooperation may be the only thing convincing us that you haven't done more than jingling your bells."

"What kind of evidence do you have?" Traylor demanded to know.

"Fluids found in the victim…" Elliot explained, his gaze still fixed on Bradley. The young man became nervous, squirmed in his chair. "As soon as we have compared your DNA we'll know it for sure."

"There's nothing to know!" Bradley cried out. "I didn't rape anyone. All I did was expose myself!"

"You shouldn't talk about that," Traylor told him.

"But I have to! I didn't rape anyone! When did that happen? And how do you get the idea that I could be responsible?"

"Where were you between ten last night and one this morning?"

"I was studying! Then I went to bed, alone."

"That's not really an alibi," Olivia said. "So you could be one of the Santas the victim described to us."

"Santas?" Bradley choked. "You know how many Santas are running the streets these days? It could have been anyone!"

"But we start with you," Elliot snarled. "You better talk. Who's responsible for placing the Santas with their employers?"

"The job agency at the university. Lot of students are working as Santas now. It's a good job!"

"Is _a Santa Claus_ the best description you've got?" Traylor demanded to know. "If your answer is yes we're finished here. It _could_ be anyone."

"What have you done to Patricia Rawlins?" Olivia asked.

"Who?"

"Patricia Rawlins, the girl you and your friends dragged into a van to rape her."

"I didn't rape anybody," Bradley whined, then he pulled up the sleeve of his coat and presented his arm. "Here! Take my blood. I didn't hurt anyone!"

A knock on the mirror stopped the detectives. When they stepped out of the interview room, Alex was waiting for them.

"I believe him," she said. "We've got him on obscenity and possession, but he's not stupid. He wouldn't offer DNA if he was involved in the rape, and I'm sure he wants to keep his record clean. I'd much sooner lock up our rapists than put an exhibitionist stoner in jail. I say we offer him a deal."

Elliot and Olivia had to agree. They had no evidence they could hold him on. So Mr. Bradley actually would be home for supper. Through the mirror they watched Alex go in and turn directly to their Santa.

"Assistant district attorney Alex Cabot," she introduced herself. "Let's put it plainly. I'm willing to make you an offer if you're cooperating."

"What are we talking about?" Traylor asked before Bradley could do as much as open his mouth to answer.

Alex spoke directly to Mr. Bradley.

"If you at least try to help, we'll drop the evading arrest charge. If you give us some information that actually leads to the right suspect, we'll talk about dropping the obscenity charges. And if you're nice about it and we get a conviction, well, we'll see about the drug charges."

Traylor was nodding thoughtfully. Then he smiled at Bradley encouragingly.

tbc…


	4. Stuck

**Santa ****Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU** song inspired Christmas story…

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU or any other show mentioned here. I don't own the rights of the songs either. I'm making no money out of this whatsoever. Don't sue me, I have no money.

A/N:

**4**

**Stuck**

After they were finished with the interrogation Elliot and Olivia had to write the final reports for the Gordon case. When they were done with everything connected with it and another talk with Alex Cabot it was already afternoon. It was snowing again, but on the molten remains of the morning's snow the flakes turned into water right away.

After a short break both detectives started to search for every agency that arranged the appearances of Santas. They had known that there were a lot of Santas in the city, but not that there were _that_ many agencies.

So they decided to call it a day and to continue fresh on Tuesday. Fresh was relative, because now they had been riding their desks for hours already and had no lead to anything. Warner could not provide them with more than just the information that it had been several attackers as long as they had no DNA to compare with the samples. They also had to work five other cases and a lot of paperwork to finish, so their mood was bad… and it was not even noon.

"We can't even be sure that the Santas who attacked Patty are registered at any agency," Elliot sighed. "Maybe they just had the suits at home, for Daddy playing Santa Claus, and they wanted to have some fun."

"Don't say that!" Olivia moaned.

"What's going on here?" Munch wanted to know.

"The only description we have of the attackers of our latest rape victim is _a bunch of Santas_," Olivia told him.

"Sounds as if there's a conspiracy going on there," Munch said. "I always tended to be suspicious of a fat old man who climbs down the chimney to sneak into the homes of little boys and girls to…"

"Maybe we should question her again," Elliot suggested, cutting Munch short. "She could remember something else now."

Olivia eyed him quite skeptically. She was not fond of the idea of putting Patty through more trauma, but they were running out of options.

"Okay, let's go," she said.

"Thanks for listening," Munch called after them as they grabbed their coats and left the squad room. "I know you're always interested in my theories."

When he dropped into his own office chair he caught a strange look from his partner, Fin.

"What?" Munch queried. "It's true, isn't it?"

"Just shut up," Fin told him and turned back to his file.

xxx

"Hey, Patty," Olivia addressed the girl in the big hospital bed. "Do you remember me?"

"Yes," she whispered. "You're the detective."

"Yes, Patty. I'm Olivia." She saw the girl's gaze drift off to Elliot and that she shrank back into the mattress.

"Elliot is my partner," she explained.

"I know," Patty said barely audible. Her eyes followed the detective as he went to the window. For a moment he looked out before he sat down in the chair standing in the corner of the room.

"We wanted to see how you're doing," Olivia softly said. "Has your father already been here today?"

Patty nodded slightly and a small smile tugged on the corners of her mouth.

"And your mom?"

At once her features crumbled.

"I'm sorry, Patty." Olivia felt bad for her. It was horrible if one parent did not really care for the wellbeing of a child.

"She was here." Patty's voice was so low that Olivia could hardly hear her. "They were fighting."

"Who was fighting, Patty? Your mom and dad?"

Patty nodded. "They went out and thought I wouldn't hear them, but they were yelling so loud."

_Poor girl,_ Olivia thought. She glanced at Elliot. That was something he would never understand and she could read it in his play of features.

"Patty, I know that that is difficult for you, but can you remember anything else? Something you didn't tell us yesterday?"

"Blue," she whispered. "One had blue eyes." She glanced at Elliot again and shuddered. "Like his."

The detectives exchanged a short but meaningful look. Olivia could tell that Patty's comparison with her attackers had hurt his feelings a little, but she knew her partner was a pro and would not let it affect his behavior with their victim. As if to prove her faith was not misplaced, he got up and walked towards the door but did not leave.

"No one will hurt you here," he softly said. His voice was warm and filled with compassion. "All the nurses and doctors and we are protecting you, Patty."

"Is there anything else?" Olivia tried to divert her from her partner.

"Ummm…" she was thinking. "They were so loud. They were shouting and laughing… but… but I don't… don't remember what they said."

"It's okay, Patty," Olivia soothed her.

"There was… I mean, there… one of them, he…" Tears started to form in her eyes and her breathing became strained. A sob escaped her.

"You're so brave, Patty," Olivia told her. "We're here to help you. So whatever it is, you can tell us."

In her bed the girl was squirming, fighting with the scary memories.

"One… he…" She swallowed. "He said something about… attending a lecture… and… and that he… He'd give me one." Now she was sobbing.

"Thank you, Patty," Olivia gently said, reaching for the girl's hand, but Patty pulled it away and hid it under the blanket. "It's okay. You did so wonderful. Thank you so much."

Favoring her with another encouraging smile she turned around to leave and Elliot followed her.

xxx

Olivia lay on her couch and was zapping from one TV channel to the next. There was nothing that could hold her interest long enough to make it to the next commercial break. Now she was on the Weather Channel watching a program about waterspouts over the Mediterranean. There had been several during this fall and it was fascinating to see what kind of power these winds could have.

_It's like in the movie,_ she thought. _There it was a cow flying round and round…_

Right then a twister was building over the ocean. Its trunk hit the water and rose it into the air. Where the masses hit the shore they were destructive.

_And these men destroyed the life of Patty._ Olivia sighed. _It will never be the same. She will never forget and she probably won't be able to have a normal relationship. They robbed her of all of that._

The attack closed in on her like one of those tornados and tore her apart.

A tear squeezed out of Olivia's eye when she blinked. She knew what the rape had done to her mother and she did not want to see Patty in the same position. Thinking of the girl's mother made her furious and she yearned to talk about her own pain.

But there was no one.

Briefly she thought about calling Elliot, then she thought of Alex, but she discarded both ideas. She did not want to intrude.

When another segment followed, analyzing the possibilities and consequences of a tornado hitting New York she zapped to the next channel. A romantic movie. Great. Just what she needed.

She watched for about ten minutes, then she turned the TV off and went to bed. There she lay and mourned her lonely night until she fell asleep.

tbc…


	5. Cookies

**Santa ****Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU**

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU . I'm making no money out of this whatsoever. Don't sue me, I have no money.

A/N: Thanks for your reviews. :) I really appreciate them. :) We're in the calm before the storm. There are twenty more chapters to come until Christmas. :D Here's number five. Enjoy:)

**5**

**Cookies**

Wednesday was a quiet day. Both, Elliot and Olivia, had to attend trials and spent most of their time at court, waiting to be called in to testify.

When they finally came back to the station they had to catch up with their paperwork so that they had to stay in the bullpen, chained to their desks.

"I think I'll stop by at the hospital on my way home," Olivia mused. They were about to call it a day and Elliot already turned the computer off.

"Patricia?" he asked.

"Hm hmmm."

"This case is hard on you, huh?" he wanted to know.

"Yeah… stirs up memories," she said.

Elliot nodded. He knew her well enough to guess that she meant her mother… and he knew better than to push that subject. If she wanted to talk she would come to him.

"I really wish we could do something for Patty," Olivia said. "Her father really is worried and wants to be there for her and her mother tries to keep him from it."

"There's nothing _we_ could do," Elliot said, knowing that that would not stop Olivia.

"I want to go and see her… maybe her mother will be there." She rubbed her temple. "If I were her mom I'd sit at her side whenever possible," she said. "She was raped by a whole group of men, for God's sake! She needs her mother!"

"You can't force her," Elliot said.

"But I could talk to her, El! It's not okay how she treats Patty and her ex-husband! He's her dad. He loves Patty! And she needs him!"

"Do you remember Ashley Austin?" Elliot asked. "Don't do that to yourself again."

"You don't want to compare them, do you?" Olivia gasped. "This is totally different! Patty was badly hurt, an experience she'll never forget… and her mother's not even visiting her in the hospital!" Her voice grew louder with every word with her rage.

"Olivia," Elliot said as calmly as he could manage. "Just be careful, okay."

"Don't tell me you don't care about her!"

He grimaced. "You know that I do!"

"So why are you trying to talk me out of it!"

"I'm not!" Elliot grumbled. "I just asked you to be careful."

"I could talk with Alex. Maybe she knows a way to help Mr. Rawlins."

Elliot nodded. He still did not like it, but to talk with Alex would be a good step. Hopefully Olivia could help Patricia without getting into trouble… without getting a restraining order against the whole squad like it happened when she tried to help Ashley Austin.

"Okay, I'm gone," he said, grabbing his coat. "See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you," she replied, already on the phone, calling Alex.

xxx

When Elliot came home he was surprised to find his whole family in the combined living room and kitchen. Their children were visiting friends or playing sports or roaming the mall so often that he was not used to seeing them all together anymore.

"Did I miss something?" Elliot asked. "What did I forget?"

"Nothing!" Kathy laughed. "Call it a lucky coincidence that we're all here!"

"Great!" Elliot beamed at her and stepped back into the foyer to hang his coat on the rack. "So… what are we going to do with the evening? Or does someone have to leave?"

"No, dad!" Maureen chuckled. "We're staying."

"Wow!"

Kathy saw him smile broadly and her heart warmed with the sight. _It's been way too long since he's been in such a good mood,_ she thought.

"I don't know what you're doing, but Lizzie and I planned to bake some cookies," she said.

Elliot's smile broadened.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

Everyone's head turned to him. They stared at him incredulously.

"What?" he asked, laughingly. "You think I don't know how to bake cookies?" And he took off his jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt.

"You're serious!" Maureen gasped. Then she jumped up and strode over to the kitchen area. Kathleen followed her and went right to the cupboard to get out flour and sugar canisters.

"What are we going to bake, Mom?" she asked.

"How about macaroons?" Kathy suggested. "We can use the white of the egg for the macaroons. Then we make shortbread and use the yokes for scrambled eggs."

"Shortbread?" Dickie frowned. He just looked over at them from the sofa.

"What about you, son?" Elliot asked back. "You don't wanna join us?"

"You think we need six people to bake some cookies?"

"Oh, come on, it'll be fun." Elliot tried to convince him. "It doesn't threaten your manhood to bake some cookies!"

"You bake 'em. I'll be in charge of quality control."

"Quality control?" Elizabeth said sounding puzzled.

"Yeah. I'll have to sample every batch."

"Ah ahh," Elliot scolded, but he was still grinning. "I don't think so, buddy. If you want to eat cookies, you have to help bake them."

"Awww!"

"No, no. You wanna eat, you'll help. C'mon!"

But Dickie did not get up. He just stared at the others grumpily. Grinning mischievously, Elliot exchanged a look with Kathy. Then he dropped what he had in hands and rushed over to the sofa.

"And you'd better help!" he shouted, reaching for his son, tickling him. "Will you help?"

"Yeah!" Dickie chuckled helplessly, squirming under his father's hands. "I'll help, I'll help!"

"Good boy," Elliot teased and backed off. "Come."

"Do we have pecans?" Dickie wanted to know when he climbed over the back rest of the sofa only to earn a disapproving look from his mother.

"Don't climb the furniture…" his sisters chirped in a singing voice.

"Pecans? To make what?" Kathy asked.

"Those crunchy cookies you cover with powdered sugar."

"Ah, _Pastelitos de Boda_." Kathy smiled. Then she turned to check if she had pecan nuts. "Yes we have some," she said and got them out of the cupboard to put them down next to the other ingredients. Grated coconuts, eggs, powdered sugar, flour, butter, salt, pecan nuts and vanilla extract gathered on the table. The whole family started to work on two recipes and soon they had the first baking trays with macaroons in the oven. Since the _pastelitos_ had no leavening agent, they could wait in the bowl until the macaroons were finished baking.

Chuckling Elliot avoided a playful punch from Kathy after he pinched a bit of the cookie dough. When he let his hand run through his hair, he left a white trace of flour and powdered sugar behind.

"Today I have five kids, huh?" Kathy teased, plucking a bit of dough out of his hair.

All her husband could do was to grin sheepishly.

"You _are_ a big kid, Elliot Stabler," she taunted. "Look at them! Not even Dickie is such a litterbug."

Elliot shrugged. He did not care. It had been some time since he had so much fun and he enjoyed it. So Kathy could not be mad at him. Instead she hugged him, smacking a kiss on his cheek.

Whistling innocently Maureen nudged Kathleen's side. Lizzie was giggling and Dickie almost vanished into a bowl, licking out the last of the macaroon dough.

Kissing Kathy in return Elliot beamed at her. Then he bowed forward to whisper in her ear, "Wanna sneak up to the bedroom when we're finished here?"

"Maybe…" she murmured back. "The kids are up to something. We could give them some room."

Elliot chuckled. "Is that a promise?"

Kathy nodded and checked on the macaroons. The _pastellitos_ were next and while they were baking they cleaned up the mess they made preparing the cookies. Now Elliot noticed that the kids went into a huddle from time to time, whispering and throwing glances at their parents.

"What's up at school?" Elliot asked innocently.

"Chelsea doesn't know about St. Nick's Day," Lizzie blurted out.

"She's not Catholic," Kathleen explained.

"We were talking about different Christmas traditions," Dickie added. "Jews don't celebrate Christmas at all, they have Hanukah."

"But I would have thought that Chelsea knows St. Nick's Day," Lizzie griped. "She's Protestant. She could know it."

"So what's the problem?" Elliot asked.

"She became jealous and pulled Lizzie's hair during the break," Dickie told him. "They were fighting."

"You fought with another girl?" Elliot frowned.

Lizzie looked at her hands and shifted position uncomfortably. "Yeah. She really became jealous that we would have candy in our shoes tomorrow morning. I wanted to explain it to her, but before I could answer her, we were fighting."

"And what would you have told her?" Elliot wanted to know.

"I wanted to say that St. Nicholas was a bishop and the patron saint of sailors and children and that he gave away the money he inherited from his parents and we put our boots out on the threshold to be filled with candy and presents because he brought presents to the three virgins at night."

Even as he was angry at her for her behavior at school Elliot was impressed. She actually knew where the tradition came from.

"That's right, honey. And you should explain that to her tomorrow when you go and share your present with her."

"But she's obnoxious. She just started the fight because she wanted to fight."

"That's no reason for you to do her that favor, young lady." Elliot squatted down beside his youngest daughter. "Maybe she just needs a friend."

"But, Daddy…" she moaned.

"Stop that. It's possible that there's more behind her behavior than you know. And maybe you're the one who's supposed to find out. You're going to apologize to her and share your candy… and if I ever hear that you fought with someone at school again, you'll see that you got off easy this time."

"Yes, sir," she mumbled.

"Now cheer up again." Elliot said, caressing her cheek when he straightened up. "The cookies are finished."

The kids smiled. They all looked over Kathy's shoulder when she got the baking tray out.

"And no one will get some before next Sunday!" she declared and playfully slapped at the hands reaching for the shortbread. "Off you go!" she shooed them away. "Why don't you go play something?"

"So that you can go to play with dad?" Kathleen chuckled.

Her parents stared at her aghast. Before they could say anything the kids pivoted on their heels and ran up the stairs.

tbc…


	6. St Nick's Day

**Santa ****Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU**

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU. I'm making no money out of this whatsoever. Don't sue me, I have no money.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. :D Well, we'll see where the story's going to take them (winks at _Sweet-4-Stabler_). LOL Special thanks to my beta, _JO_, for helping with slang and suggesting the second scene. Have fun. ;)

**6**

**St. Nick's Day**

When Elliot came down on morning of December 6th he found his boots filled.

_Woah! How did that happen?_

Well, he did not mind. He took them up and carried them into the kitchen where he found Kathy sitting at the table, fumbling open a small present. She smiled up at him.

"This was in my boots," she said and then protested, "Oh, no! You won't put them on the table. No, no, no!"

He grimaced, standing somewhat lost beside her. She rolled her eyes and got up to get an old newspaper to spread it on the tabletop, but before she could do so, he put the boots on the floor and pulled out the presents which stuck in the bootleg. Not wasting any time with unwrapping them, he tore open the paper to reveal a bag with… macaroons and shortbread.

"Now I know why they were so busy yesterday," he laughed and opened the second parcel. "Oh, a Bill Bryson," he chuckled. "_I'm a stranger here myself – Notes on returning to America after twenty years away_."

Kathy laughed. "And I got a book, too."

"What is it about?"

Kathy hurried to hide it, putting it aside and setting the bag with cookies on top of it. "Sounds interesting," she said, sounding distracted.

"Come on, Kathy. What is it?" he pushed and grabbed for the book. She could not stop him and looked skeptically at him while he was reading. "The Kama Sutra?" He gasped, frowning.

"Well, the kids chose it," she said.

Elliot was not sure what to think about that gift.

"You think they want another sibling?" Kathy mused.

"If the girls chose it, they might want to borrow it from you," Elliot replied suspiciously, his forehead still furrowed.

"We'll find out. But you'll be late if you don't go now," she said, taking the book from him and putting it away. "See you tonight."

"Yeah," he mumbled thoughtfully. Then he put on the boots, breathed a kiss on her cheek and left.

xxx

About two hours later, sitting at their respective desks, Olivia noticed that her partner was kind of distracted. For a while she was watching him over the edge of the file she was pretending to read. His brooding and the awkward silence between them was making her crazy, and finally she couldn't stand it any more..

"Elliot?" she asked. "Can we talk?"

"Huh?" He threw her a confused look.

"Did you hear what I said?"

Grinning lopsidedly he shook his head.

"Let's talk," she said and rose from her chair to go up the stairs to their break room. On the sofa she sat down and waited for him. When he trotted up towards her, a sheepish smile cracked his features. He sat down in the easy chair across from her.

"What is it?" Olivia asked with a small smile. She could see that he was thinking hard, but he neither answered nor looked at her. "There's something on your mind, partner," she pushed lightly. "And since you came up here with me, something tells me you want to talk."

_She's right,_ Elliot thought. _After all we've seen on the job I was quite surprised today._

"Umm…" he mumbled. "Are you familiar with St. Nick's Day? St. Nicholas bringing small gifts for good people in the night on December the 6th?"

"No, but I get the idea," Olivia replied.

"Well, the kids gave Kathy a book." Elliot felt his cheeks heat up. _No! Don't let me blush!_ But actually he already had a little.

"What kind of book?" Olivia asked pretty seriously. She sensed that it was something embarrassing and that made her even more curious, but she swallowed any comment and bit back a grin.

"The… the Kama Sutra."

Olivia's eyes grew wide. Now she could not hide her grin.

"Whose idea was it? Kathleen's?"

"Why do you think of Kathleen? Don't you think she's…?"

"Too young?" she interrupted him. "No. And she's wilder than Maureen."

"Olivia!"

"Keep it cool, Elliot!" she chuckled. "I think it's a good idea and a good sign. It shows that they're comfortable enough with their mother to give her something like that as a gift. If they can do that now, they will probably feel comfortable talking to her when it comes time to make difficult decisions about boys and sex."

Elliot was staring at her agape but he did not seem to want to object. So Olivia continued,

"It's amazing that they aren't totally grossed out by the thought of their parents having sex. It also shows that they are thoughtful, sensitive, compassionate people because they realize that their parents deserve some romance in their lives and have found a way to help them without getting all creepy about it."

"You don't think it's creepy that my teenage daughters are supplying my wife and me with a book on how to make love?"

"There's a lot more to the Kama Sutra than a bunch of graphic illustrations of sexual positions," she told him.

"And you would know this how?" he teased with a grin.

"Yeah, I read it," she admitted with a slight blush. "It's not like I could ask my mom. It's as much about romance and foreplay as it is about intercourse," she continued unashamedly. "It teaches you how to involve the mind and spirit and all five senses in lovemaking, not just the body. It wouldn't hurt you and Kathy to read it together. There's more advice in there for men than for women, and I am sure Kathy would appreciate you taking some of it to heart."

"How do you know I don't already do what they suggest?" he teased.

She gave him a sideways glance and said, "You don't really want me to answer that, do you?"

This time, Elliot turned as red as a Santa hat. "No, not really," he mumbled and watched her getting up and leaving for the stairs. After a silent moment alone with his thoughts he followed his partner back to their paperwork.

xxx

"So, here you are again," the man in the worn out sweater said tiredly. He looked wiped out, too. "Ready to cause more trouble."

"Well, as you have called our office, Mr. Bradley," Elliot replied. "What do you have to tell us?"

"I don't know if it's really helpful," Bradley mumbled, then he coughed and sneezed. "It's about some fellow students."

"What is it?"

"A lot of us are working as Santas these days. Columbia University's placement office sends us out on jobs."

"And?" Olivia was running out of patience already.

"I didn't think it might be important when I met them, I mean, in the end I was the one with the open pants." He paused. "But, these guys were talking about wanting to have some fun.

"Tell us more about them," Olivia pushed.

"And where can we find them? Here in the undergraduate residence hall… or in the graduate apartments?" Elliot added.

"Most of them live there," Bradley confirmed. "They often hang out at a pool hall on 119th Street after class… if they don't have to work."

"Give us some names," Olivia ordered him.

"Ron Davis, Paul Cornwell, Kenny Williams, Buster and Terry."

"And these guys wanted to have some fun, right?"

"They always want to have fun. Not all of my fellow students are hard workers."

"Did they specify what kind of fun they wanted to have?" Elliot asked. "Something other than playing pool?"

Both detectives could see that Bradley felt uneasy. He shifted his weight from foot to foot and cringed back somewhat.

"What is it, Mr. Bradley?" Elliot pressed.

"I don't know if I should tell you. It's because I can't tell if he meant it seriously."

"Trust me," Elliot said, leaning a bit forward, invading the personal space of Bradley. "We'll find out if it was meant seriously. So who was it, saying what?"

"Paul. He can be mean as hell. And that night… he was horny and yelling about needing some… willing object."

"Referring to a girl," Olivia mused. "When was that?"

"Sunday night," Bradley mumbled. "And Paul, he was harassing the waitresses the whole time, shouting about digging in the sheets or heating his tepee." Bradley wrinkled his nose. "He was getting pretty gross and so I left."

"How did the others react to his behavior?"

"As if he was making fun. Some joined in teasing the waitresses. Some talked big along with him. I didn't like it and I left."

"Do you think Paul is capable of rape?"

"That was what I was thinking about after you wanted to pin the attack on the girl on me." Uncomfortably he shifted his weight from one foot to the other again. "They were sitting all together and grew louder with every beer they drank." He shrugged. "I don't want to rat on someone, but a weak lead is better than no lead, and if they hurt someone they deserve to be punished, right?"

Olivia had to smile. "Yes, they do. Thanks for your help, Mr. Bradley."

"Yeah, yeah. Can you help me, too?"

"We'll see," she said.

Elliot raised an eyebrow at him before he followed his partner out.

xxx

Cornwell was not at home, so the detectives decided to ask the people at the agency. When they left the building the students were housed in, they noticed that the flakes no longer floated down. In a strong breeze they swirled through the streets. The wipers of the passing cars were flapping constantly to keep the windshields free. At the parking lot all markings were extinguished. Everything lay under a white blanket.

In the halls on their way to the agency Olivia and Elliot already met two young men who were dressed like Santa Claus except for the beards, the hoods thrown back. They stopped to intercept the two for a talk. The students did not even flinch when the detectives flashed their badges and introduced themselves.

"Brian Harris," one of them replied. "What can we do for you, Detective?"

"Mr. Harris, we take it that you've been placed to work as Santa Claus…" Olivia saw him grin at that statement. "We are looking for several students who took the same job…"

"You're looking for someone special?" Harris demanded to know and watched her frown. "We have to hurry, you know."

"One of the group in question is a Paul Cornwell. Do you know him?"

"Paul Cornwell. Isn't he in Zimmerman's class with you?" he addressed his comrade.

"Yeah, I guess so. Class is over for, today. He'll be at home or probably playing pool."

"And you are?" Elliot asked.

"I'm Kenny Williams."

"Oh, and you're not playing pool?"

"Why should I?" Williams looked puzzled.

"Well, someone told us, that you and Mr. Cornwell would probably play pool together."

"Who told you so?"

"One of your fellow students. Is Mr. Cornwell a friend of yours?"

"Just another fellow student. Yes, we play sometimes, but we're not friends."

"Did you play together yesterday evening?"

"No. I was at home, studying. But I know that Paul and Terry wanted to go."

"You live in the residence halls?" Elliot asked.

"Yes."

"Can someone bear witness to you staying in your room, studying?"

"I was alone. What is this? An interrogation? Do I need a lawyer?"

"Well, if you haven't done anything…"

"He hasn't," Harris threw in. "And if you can wait a year and a half, he can plead his own case. He's a law student"

"Where were you, Mr. Harris?" Olivia demanded to know.

"In my room. I had to work, too." He grinned again. "But I was kind of distracted… my girlfriend was with me."

"Well, if you don't have any other questions…" Williams said.

"Not right now." Olivia handed them over her card. "But you can call us if you can think of anything else."

"Sounds great," Harris said and grinned invitingly at her. "I look forward to it."

Then both Santas proceeded down the hall.

"Did I just imagine that or was he hitting on me?" Olivia turned to her partner.

Elliot shrugged his shoulders. He looked at her innocently. "You should feel flattered."

"Why? Because he's a thoughtless greenhorn without any sense of finesse?"

Now he grinned. "He doesn't deserve someone like you."

"You can bet he doesn't."

"That's my girl." He laughed. "Let's go find the other Santas or get to this pool hall. Then we should drive back to the precinct before the snowfall turns into a blizzard."

tbc…


	7. The lion's den

**Santa ****Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU**

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU. I'm making no money out of this whatsoever. Don't sue me, I have no money.

A/N:

**7**

**Lion's den**

When they reached the pool hall, the streets were not covered with dirty slush but with a firm white layer of impacted snow.

"_In the East Coast area north of Washington D.C. heavy snowfall is expected. Hurricane force winds are likely here_," the weather forecast announced on the radio.

"We should try and make this short and sweet," Olivia said before they entered. "If this becomes heavier we'll be glad if we make it back to the precinct in time to sign out."

"If this turns into a blizzard we'll probably have to stay here."

"I can live without that…"

He opened the door and both stepped inside. The place was dimly lit. Only above the pool tables in the back of the big room stronger lights shone. Everyone present turned their heads to look at the strangers blown in by the wind together with swirls of snowflakes. Except for the bartender no one seemed to be older than their mid-twenties. As a matter of fact the waitresses appeared to be barely legal.

The atmosphere became icy. If they would have come into another bar with at least half of the guests being possible suspects, the detectives would have expected such a greeting, but with students?

Slowly Olivia and Elliot walked across the room until they came to the pool tables. From the photos they'd seen at the dean's office they identified Cornwell and Davis among a group in the back. Now they saw for themselves why Cornwell was on the verge of being expelled from Columbia. He slouched in the corner, enthroned on a chair, holding court like a king. The small corner table was filled with glasses and some stuff the narcotics squad would probably find interesting.

"Detectives," Cornwell greeted cheerfully. "Brian told me that you would be coming to talk to me."

"Oh, really? Mr. Cornwell, I'm Detective Benson, this is Detective Stabler. We'd like to know where you were yesterday evening."

"May I ask you why?"

"A fifteen year old girl was kidnapped and raped. So where were you? Tell me."

"Ho, ho, ho! Cool down! - I was working as a Santa. Same as lot of guys I know. It's easy work, and some of the younger moms are really hot."

Olivia and Elliot knew that was not entirely true. The agency did not accept Cornwell because of his trouble history.

"When did you finish?" Olivia asked.

"Around eight pm. I met with my friends here later."

"Well, now, the people at the university's agency said they never sent you on any jobs. So, are you lying to us because you were on East 112th Street around half past nine?"

"No. I was already here again."

"Are you sure about that? Your van was seen in the street where the girl was kidnapped, and think hard before you answer. You don't want to lie to us again."

"My van." Cornwell pretended to contemplate his answer. "One of my friends had my van."

"Who?"

"I don't know. Every one of them can borrow it whenever they want." Cornwell got up to stroll over to one of the pool tables. He picked up a cue. "Can she identify her attacker?"

"You left your DNA."

"Oh yes?" He did not intend to fall for the lie. "Well, prove that she did not invite me to leave it."

"So you admit that you had intimate contact with her?"

"Lady, I don't even know who you mean! But I tell you what. I had sex last weekend. And I will have sex again." He chuckled softly. "It's possible that I slept with her. I just can't tell for sure. The girls practically beg me to ride them." He somewhat leaned on the cue, rocking forward and back, so that the wood was gliding through his folded hands with the movement.

"She definitely did not," Olivia said, ignoring the obscene gesture.

"That's what she's saying now… certainly sounded different when we were together. Am I right, guys?!"

The whole group was cheering.

"She was hot… and very keen on pleasing all of us." Cornwell leaned forward. He could smell Olivia's female scent. "With all of them witnessing, even a quickie the both of us share would be consentient," he whispered.

Olivia could not tell if Elliot might have heard that. For a second she was stunned. She realized that her partner did in fact hear Cornwell's words when the giant was pushed aside, against the pool table. Cornwell tried to punch his attacker but Elliot was faster. He had Cornwell's right arm in a firm grip before the guy knew what was happening. Elliot pinned him face down on the table with his right hand and already had the cuffs in his left. Cornwell screamed with rage.

"You're under arrest!" Elliot yelled. "For threatening a police officer and attempted assault!" The cuffs closed around Cornwell's wrists. Olivia laid her hand on the butt of her gun and scanned the group for further resistance.

"You have the right to remain silent," Elliot recited. "Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have an attorney present during interrogation; if you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you at no cost. You got that, scumbag?"

Cornwell grunted. Elliot accepted that as a yes and pulled him back.

"Let's get his butt to the precinct," Olivia said and grabbed one of Cornwell's arms as Elliot got hold of the other. Together they led him out of the pool hall, closely watched by the crowd.

Sharp wind blew in their faces when they stepped outside. It wasn't snowing very much right now but the wind whirled up the snow from the ground. They went to their car and pushed Cornwell into the backseat. Olivia entered the passenger's seat in the front to guard him while Elliot cleaned the windshield and the lights. She also contacted the precinct, reaching Cragen, telling him what had happened.

"Cap is in a meeting," she said when Elliot put the ice scraper back into the door's pocket.

"It's snowing harder," he replied and sank into the driver's seat. "It's going to take us long time to get back to the precinct."

"We could stop at another station. The next to our position is East 119th, right?"

"That would be the 25th Precinct. This neighborhood is in the 26 Precinct. Their station house is on West 126th Street." Elliot glanced at the rear-view mirror. "We're not the only ones leaving."

Olivia looked over her shoulder and watched several of Cornwell's comrades approach their car. They were chanting about them being pigs and harassing their friend. One pounded the hood while another shoved snow from the car's roof onto the windshield.

"Hey! You bastards!" Elliot reached for his gun and was about to get out again when Olivia stopped him.

"Elliot, don't! Let's just get back to the station, okay. They're already backing off."

"He hit the car!" Elliot burst out. "That's an attack. You want to let them get away with that?"

"He was blowing off steam. They're gone now."

Olivia was on the radio, calling headquarters, while Elliot ignited the car and slowly drove up to the next corner. The men climbed into three different cars, one a dark van, another a big jeep with massive roll bars.

"Yeah, try to get back if you can," Cornwell teased from the backseat.

"Shut up," both detectives said.

"Or you do what? Knock out my teeth? My lawyer would love that. I'll walk free and you two will be suspended for using excessive force against a suspect."

Olivia saw Elliot grit his teeth. Firmly his fists closed around the steering wheel. Cornwell chuckled. Now Olivia finally realized that Elliot had been right, because Cornwell's friends were following in their cars.

Still the snowfall increased. Contours blurred. If it would not have been for parked cars the street would have passed into the pavement invisibly. Elliot was driving very slowly and carefully because the fresh snow was slippery and he had to take care not to over-steer the car.

"We definitely will be two of the last idiots still outside," he mused.

"Well, our cases don't care about blizzard warnings," Olivia replied. "Go to the 26th Precinct." Once more she called headquarters, asking for support. She frowned when she did not get a response.

In the rear-view mirror turned up headlights blinded Elliot.

"Hey!" Elliot protested. "That's a bit too close."

Another car tried to overtake him on the left side. He glanced out and recognized the van.

"What do they want?" Olivia asked, reaching for her cell phone.

"Guess what!" Cornwell chuckled, grinning smugly.

The jeep fell back again.

"What's wrong with the radio?" Elliot asked.

"Don't know," Olivia told him. "Your friends won't do something stupid, will they?" she turned to Cornwell, who lacked an answer. She was about to dial when the motor of an accelerating car roared behind them.

"Damn!" Elliot cried out when the jeep hit the bumpers from behind. Olivia dropped the cell phone.

Their car jumped forward and lost traction on the snow, breaking out to the side. Then it was hit again. Elliot jammed on the breaks but just then the other car hit them again and they spun around in the street and turned. Their car hobbled over something and then tumbled down a slope spinning round its axis.

"Elliot!" Olivia screamed.

But there was nothing her partner could do. The car bounced, throwing them into the roof and back into the seats. Then it smashed against something solid with a brutal impact and everything went dark.

tbc…


	8. Taken

**Santa ****Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU** song inspired Christmas story…

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU . I'm making no money out of this whatsoever. Don't sue me, I have no money.

**8**

**Taken**

Alex Cabot went up to the reception to ask for Patricia Rawlins. It happened to be nurse Eugenie's shift and the friendly woman guided the assistant district attorney to Patty's room. Approaching it they both could hear loud voices behind the closed door.

"Oh, no!" nurse Eugenie grumbled and strode in confidently to find Mr. and Mrs. Rawlins arguing over the top of the bed.

"What's going on here?" the nurse wanted to know. Mrs. Rawlins turned to her, ready to shout at her, too. "Shut up!"

It worked. Mrs. Rawlins opened and closed her mouth a few times like a fish on dry land and fell silent.

"Can I have a word with you?" Eugenie asked, gesturing them to go out with her. Her words were a request, but her tone was most certainly an order. Reluctantly the girl's mother followed while her ex-husband seemed to be eager to obey the nurse's request.

"What the hell are you thinking, fighting over the head of your daughter?" Eugenie wanted to know once she had led them to a visitor's lounge with sofa and easy chairs. "She was badly injured, lived through the most traumatic experience in her young life, and you're fighting!"

"Who the hell are you?" Mrs. Rawlins turned to Alex instead of answering the question.

"I'm Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cabot, ma'am," Alex replied. "I'm here to talk with Patricia about her testimony."

"You want to drag her up on the stand? No way!" said Mr. Rawlins.

"She'll testify!" Mrs. Rawlins yelled at him. "These animals need to be put away."

"But she would have to go through everything over and over again!" he told her. "I don't want her to suffer through that!"

"Well, it's a good thing you don't have any say in the matter," his ex-wife sneered, rubbing at one of her fingernails to polish it. "Thank God, court made sure of that."

"It's not over, Melissa!" he countered. "My lawyer's preparing to take it to court again."

"Don't be silly. I have custody and you can go jump in a lake!"

_Dammit! What divorces can do to people!_ Alex frowned deeply as she listened to the fighting couple. She glanced at Eugenie who was standing beside them, her arms crossed and looked as if she was on the way to explode.

"I think we should appoint a lawyer to represent Patricia," Alex said before the situation escalated. "That will be in her best interest."

Both parents looked at her, stunned.

"A lawyer for Pat? Why?" Mr. Rawlins asked.

"As I said, that would be in her best interest. She went through a terrible ordeal and the last thing she needs are her parents fighting. You two are each after what you want, and neither of you are thinking about what _she_ wants, or more importantly, what she _needs_."

"But she's my daughter!" Mrs. Rawlins shouted. "It's my job to decide what's best for her!"

"Well, obviously you don't. I'll arrange everything. If you now excuse me. I need to make a call." Still fuming inwardly Alex left, leaving two perplexed parents behind.

xxx

When Elliot opened his eyes he felt dizzy. His head and chest rested on the limp airbag over the steering wheel. Somehow he felt like he was pressed against it. As he tried to move he recognized that he was stuck between the wheel and the back of the seat. He groped back and along the seat to find the lever to adjust it as well as the button to release the seatbelt.

Icy cold wind blew in from behind where the glass of the side window was broken. Elliot tried to look over his shoulder and was stopped when a sting of pain pierced both his left thigh and his left side where his gun stuck in its holster. He heard Olivia moan.

"Liv?" he groaned. "You okay?"

"I guess so," she rasped back. "What about you?"

"Can't tell," he choked. "What… what happened?"

"They shoved us off the street."

Elliot groaned when he tried to free himself from the wedged seat. Olivia tried to help him and reached for the belt, but it did not come loose.

"What about Cornwell?" Elliot asked.

Olivia paused for a moment to glance at the backseat which was deserted.

"He's gone! Shit!" Olivia continued to try and free her partner. A cracking sound behind her made her turn her head. "What? Nooo!"

In the way Elliot was trapped between seat and steering wheel he could only look to the left side. So he just heard the passenger's door open and Olivia's surprised gasp when strong arms reached in to pull her out of the car. She screamed.

_What's happening?_ Elliot thought. _The jeep,_ his memory came back. _They shoved us off the street! Must be Riverside Park we ended in. What are they doing now?_

Someone grunted and flesh clapped on flesh.

"Olivia?" _Are they beating her_

Frantically Elliot tried to free himself. On his side of the car everything was cramped. Cold air and blown up snow washed over him. It alerted him as well as Olivia's cry of pain.

"Get him out, too!"

"Liv?" Elliot cried out for her, his voice wavering with a hint of panic. He was desperately stuck in his seat, his left arm trapped between the dented door and his body, forced to bend forward over the wheel and unable to get the belt loose. So he was committed to whatever fate was waiting for him.

The car bounced when someone climbed in. Seemed to be more than one. Suddenly Elliot felt something touch his head from behind… something hard and cold. He heard the trigger being cocked.

"Freeze," someone hissed.

Now it was Elliot's turn to gasp. Yet, he did not dare to move. They rummaged around and then the back of the seat went loose and was jerked back. As Elliot still was fastened to it with the seatbelt he was dragged back with it. The muzzle left his neck and returned to be pressed under his chin. Someone reached over to get his gun. They tried to remove the seatbelt and the guy crouching in the passenger's seat cut it with a knife when it did not move. He grabbed the detective's arm and pulled him over. Elliot's leg hurt like hell. When he was halfway on the right side of the car, a second man took hold of him and they hauled him backwards out of the car. Snow whirled all around and the wind whistled.

Both men held him in a brutal grip, one hand around his wrist, the other bore through the coat in his upper arm, jerking both limbs backwards. A third man grabbed one of his shoulders and pressed the other hand in his back, just between the shoulder blades. They effectively immobilized him.

They also kept him upright. Elliot doubted that he would be able to stand on his own. His leg was pulsing. Coldness bit in his face and bare hands. When they shoved him forward he painfully limped along in their merciless grip.

Elliot could not spot Olivia anywhere, but there was a figure emerging from the mist of whirling snow. Cornwell approached the men. When he was only one step away, Elliot could see him sneering. The detective reared in the clasp between his captors. In this instant Cornwell buried his fist into Elliot's stomach and made him writhe with pain as far as the grip allowed. They raised him again and two more times Cornwell punched him hard in the belly. Elliot gasped for breath. He sank down on his knees when they released him, panting. When he slumped forward his hands sank deep into the snow.

Cornwell did not intend to finish now. He bowed down and grabbed Elliot's chin to force him to look up at him. Elliot felt as if he were stuck in a vice as Cornwell's fingers dug in his flesh. He could see the cuffs with which he had previously restrained Cornwell dangling from the young man's hand.

"As these are yours," Cornwell said, "you should wear them." Still the cuffs in hand he smashed his fist into Elliot's face.

Elliot broke down and did not move. Blood mingled with the fresh white snow. Cornwell jerked his hands behind his back and cuffed them.

"Bring him to the van," he commanded. His comrades looked at him in disbelief. "You have a problem?"

"They're cops," one of the guys said.

"And?" Cornwell laid a hand on the butt of Olivia's gun now put in his belt.

The guys exchanged glances. "Nothing," the second said and went to pick the detective up.

tbc…


	9. Conversations

**Santa Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU** song inspired Christmas story…

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU . I'm making no money out of this whatsoever. Don't sue me, I have no money.

**9**

**Conversations**

When Cragen looked out of the windows of One Police Plaza he shivered. Just the sight of the whirling snow made him freeze. He thought of the people who were outside, at work or on their way to somewhere. His precinct was not that far away from the police headquarters, but still he was glad that he did not have to leave anytime soon. Getting out his cell phone he tried to call their squad room.

But the phone did not work, so he asked the chief's secretary and called from her phone.

"John?" Don Cragen said. "Everything okay over there?"

"Yes, of course," John replied. "Why?"

"Just wondered given the brewing blizzard out there. Is everyone at the station?"

John looked around.

"El and Liv are still on their way, interviewing Santas." He could not hide his low chuckle.

"Okay. John, we're not through with our meeting here, just took a break. So I won't be back soon. Just wanted to let you know."

"Okay, captain." Once more he chuckled. "I can understand why you called. In this snowfall you can get lost by just crossing the street."

"Yeah." He looked at his watch. "I don't know how long we'll need. But if the storm doesn't lighten up before then I'll stay here. See you later, John."

"Sure," John said and put the handset down.

The storm rattled the windows. They screeched in their frames. Outside snow was blown horizontal down the street.

xxx

Too bad that she could not keep her promise.

Actually it was not Alex's place to make the decision to get a lawyer for Patricia. But she had been so furious and maybe she could make the parents think about what they were doing, not just to each other but also to their daughter.

So far she was under the impression that the father was honestly worried and wanted the best for his girl, but his ex-wife had sole custody so that he could not make any decision in Patricia's interest.

Mrs. Rawlins on the other hand did not seem to be very concerned. Still fuming Alex went to the nurse's station and asked for Eugenie. A few minutes later she came to the desk.

"Let's go to our break room," the nurse suggested. "There we can talk in private."

"What can you tell me about Patricia and her parents?" Alex asked as they sat down with a big mug of steaming coffee.

"Mr. Rawlins seems to be a decent guy," Eugenie replied. "He's been here almost the whole time. Only this morning he had to go to work to finish some things that could not wait. Except for that he's been at her side."

"I'm not under the impression that her mother's as concerned as he is."

Eugenie snorted.

"That's an understatement," she huffed. "That lady's cold blooded. She's only been here for a few minutes each day."

"Did you talk with her?"

"If you mean to remind her that she should be more tactful towards her daughter who went through hell, then I talked with her." Eugenie put the mug down on the table so forcefully that the hot brew almost jumped out of it. "I have kids! I worry about them each time they leave my sight! That sounds overprotective, but I guess you know what I mean. You never stop to worrying about them because you love them. This woman? She only seems to care about her own business."

"What did she do in particular?"

"Well, she made the right decisions, but the way she did… as if you were robbing her of her precious time. Dr. Nolan was on the phone with her. She said that she never had made such a short call."

Thoughtfully Alex stared into her coffee mug. What the nurse was telling her did not sound like neglect or abuse, but still she did not like it.

_Well, I could ask the detectives to dig into Mrs. Rawlins' background a bit, check where the child support's going and if she really has to work so much._

"I have to go back to work," Eugenie declared. "You can stay and finish your coffee."

"I'm done, too," Alex said, downing the last gulps. "Thank you."

Eugenie nodded amicably and hurried to the next patient.

tbc…


	10. Darkness

**Santa ****Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU**

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU . I'm making no money out of this whatsoever. Don't sue me, I have no money.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. :D 

**10**

**Darkness**

Shivering with cold and, she had to admit, with fear, Olivia lay in the open van and stared out at the people she could only perceive as grey shadows in the increasing snowfall. Her hands were cuffed behind her back and one of the men had taken out his belt to tie her feet. She could hardly recognize anything, just a giant figure next to a big shadow that most likely was several people. A part of that group went down to the ground as the big shadow impacted into it. But Olivia could only guess what happened. Given the condition she was in, she had to assume that it was her partner who was knocked down by Cornwell.

_Elliot_, she wanted to scream, but a glove stuffed into her mouth muffled it to an unintelligible sound.

Her cheeks had burned from the slaps she had received. Now everything was freezing in the icy cold of the beginning storm. Still she felt dizzy and she closed her eyes to try and steady the whirling world around her.

When she opened her eyes again, the figures approached the van. One of them was bent forward and more dragged along with the others than walking on its own. Together with a harsh blow of snow this man was shoved inside and collapsed next to her. He grunted. His arms, too, were tied behind his back, Olivia noticed, and her heart ached for her injured partner.

Cornwell and two others climbed in behind him and one of them took the driver's seat. Slowly, due to the heavy snowfall, the van left the park and returned to the streets.

xxx

"Something new?" Cragen asked as he strode into the bullpen.

"Nope," Fin replied.

"What are you doing here, Captain?" John asked. "Thought you wanted to stay at One PP. No one who's in his right mind would drive now…" He eyed his captain suspiciously. "And anyone who would go for a walk out in this storm should be ordered to consult with a police psychiatrist," he added because Cragen looked like a Yeti with his still snow covered coat. "Do you want me to call Huang?"

His clever quip just earned him a glare from his captain.

"How did you find your way? You can hardly see the end of the block."

"Just wanted to know if everything's alright on deck," Cragen said. "No need to call Huang. And it's not snowing_ that_ badly."

"Nooooo," John chuckled.

"I guess I'd freeze to an ice pillar," Fin mused with a glance out of the window. All you could see was a white fog of whirling snow. "If I don't have to I won't go out right now."

"No one said you should." Cragen took Elliot's chair to sit down at his desk. "I just thought that I should be here instead at the Chief's office."

Fin smirked.

"Everything's okay here," John said.

"Guess that El and Liv are waiting somewhere for the storm to ease up," the captain mused.

"They ought to." John looked at some notes. "They gave me the name of the guy Mr. Bradley suggested as a suspect in the Santa gang rape," he said. "It's one Paul Cornwell."

"What do we know about him?"

"Hmmm… He's matriculated at Columbia University, studying journalism. Age 29, Caucasian, brown hair, blue eyes, height six foot five, played basketball in high school. His parents are Jane and Conway Cornwell, living in Oregon. He has a sister, Caroline, and an older brother, Richard. After high school Paul joined the army. He was given a general discharge after a four-year tour of duty."

"A general discharge," Cragen mused. "Not honorable?"

Munch shook his head.

"That usually implies he was more trouble than the army wanted but hadn't done anything yet to justify a court martial," Cragen said thoughtfully.

"Which would fit right in with what else we know about him," John explained. "Olivia told me that he has a reputation as trouble-maker at Columbia. They warned him to expel him. His next offence would be his last at the University."

"Find out why the army dropped him," Cragen ordered.

"That would have been our next move," John confirmed.

Outside the wind was howling like a hungry pack of wolves. It was almost as dark as midnight, the city illuminated only by thousands of street lights and the warm glow that shimmered through millions of windows.

"Then you should do it now. Anything else will have to wait until the storm settles down," Cragen said.

Another heavy squall rattled the windows. The lights flickered. Darkness.

They waited for the generator to take over, but nothing happened. Silence fell over the squad room. As they looked outside they saw that the precinct was not the only building without electricity. Not a single light could be seen through the white wind.

"This isn't good," John said dryly as he lit the candle on Fin's desk.

They spent perhaps ten minutes in the dark, making idle conversation and wondering what the problem was until someone put his head through the door.

"We're working on the problem, sir! The battery of the generator's dead," he shouted and was gone before Cragen could react.

"Now we are working under the same conditions as Sherlock Holmes," John said with a smirk

"Yeah?" Cragen mused. "But skip the drugs, please."

"I can live with that. Does anybody have a violin?"

tbc…


	11. Zat you, Santa Claus?

**Santa ****Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU**

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU . Same applies to the song. It's all just for fun.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. :D 

**11**

**Zat you, Santa Claus?**

Squalls shook the van as it sidled down the exit ramp.

"I don't know if it was such a good idea to take them," the driver shouted over the storm. "We should throw them out somewhere along the way."

"You wanna chicken out, _pansy_?" Cornwell grumbled challengingly. "They're just pigs."

Exchanging glances with the man in the passenger seat, the driver grabbed the steering wheel harder. They had left I95 and headed down a road running along the Hudson River.

Cornwell looked over his shoulder. Thick white flakes clashed against the windshield. The wipers were flapping as fast as possible but could hardly keep the glass clean. Even then the driver could not see more than a few yards ahead. The broad stripe cleared by a snowplow was quickly covered with fresh snow.

"This is crazy," the man behind the steering wheel grumbled. "We've already lost the others. At least I don't see their headlights anywhere behind us. We should park somewhere and wait until the storm's over."

"You nuts?" Cornwell glared at him incredulously. "We can't just park somewhere with our _guests_ aboard!"

"But Dom's right," the man in the passenger's seat agreed. "We shouldn't be driving in this weather. It's dangerous."

"Since when do _you_ have anything to say here, huh?" Cornwell slapped him on the back of the head. When he turned he surveyed his captives suspiciously.

The male detective lay on his right side, eyes closed, while his female partner lay on her back and was watching him out of big brown deer's eyes.

She had managed to get the glove out of her mouth and Cornwell acknowledged the way her jaws were set. _Proud bitch_, he thought._ You will be mine. And you will obey me._

"Don't pretend to be asleep," he said to Elliot and kicked him in the calves. "I know, you're not."

Elliot sucked in a sharp breath but did not as much as glance at Cornwell for a second.

The giant went down on his knees over Elliot's legs and took out his belt to grab and bind them at the ankles with it. The last thing he needed right now was a frantically kicking cop. Grinning he hit him in the side, taking pleasure in his pain. Then he let go of Elliot and turned on Olivia instead. Bowing over her, he lifted her upper body to reach for the cuffs. He opened them just to close them again in front of her. Now he pushed her back and pressed her arms down, above her head, with his left hand. The right found the zipper of her trousers and opened it slowly.

_No!_ Elliot cried out inwardly as he saw him advance on his partner. _Don't do that! Leave her alone!_ It tore his insides apart that he could not help her. He should protect his partner! But his attempts to kick with his bound legs were thwarted by the blinding pain in his left side. All he could do now was to lie and watch helplessly… as much as he could see in the van's dim lighting.

Something splashed into Cornwell's face.

"You whore!" he swore. "You spat at me!"

Once more he slapped her in the face. Her cheeks reddened and her eyes spread fire. But she was not able to defend herself.

Olivia felt him fumble with the zipper again. It opened together with the button and he pushed her pants down. Then he reached for his own jeans.

That was when the van slid into a curve. The driver wanted to turn into a smaller road but doing that the tires lost grip on a plate of ice frozen beneath the fresh snow. The van broke out and skidded to the side.

It was enough to knock Cornwell off balance and Olivia hit him hard in the face with the cuffs. Cornwell swore again.

Sideways the van hobbled off the road, one tire getting blocked by a branch. That gave the vehicle momentum and it turned again, rolling onto its side and down a short slope. It was enough to turn the car over. Olivia felt herself being thrown in the air and tried to hold on to something but to no avail.

A tree finally stopped the van, pushing in part of its side when it crashed into the trunk.

xxx

No one could remember a situation when the squad room had been as silent as now. The lack of ringing phones and clacking keyboards made the situation unrealistic. The large room was barely lit by just a few candles.

"You referred to Sherlock Holmes earlier… If we had a violin," Fin asked John, "could you play?"

"No."

Fin snorted. "We could sing something."

John frowned at him together with a skeptical look over the rim of his glasses. "You think we can sing?"

"At least we could try. It's so damn quiet in here."

"Why should anybody have the wish to sing right now?" John got slightly annoyed. "Just because there is no noise otherwise? Come on. When's the last time you can remember when having peace and quiet in this city?"

Fin did not answer that. He leaned back in his chair, thinking hard. When he opened his mouth again, John expected a flippant reply, but he really began to sing.

_Gifts I'm preparin'_

_For some Christmas sharin'_

_But I pause because_

_Hangin' my stockin'_

_I can hear a knockin'_

_'Zat you, Santa Claus_

If he was honest to himself, John did not expect his partner to be a singer, but Fin actually managed a quite good imitation of Louis Armstrong. Even as his voice was not as deep as Satchmo's he got the accent and the jazzy feeling right.

John stared at him incredulously and let his view wander through the squad room to check the reactions of the others. In the dim light he could not judge if their co-workers were shocked or pleased by Fin's singing.

_Sure is dark out _

_Ain't the slighest spark out_

_Pardon my clackin' jaws_

_Uh, who there_

_Who is it_

_Uh, stoppin' for a visit_

_Is 'zat you, Santa Claus_

"C'mon, John. Join in!" Fin called on John to start singing, too, but his partner only frowned at him. So Fin got up from his place and beckoned John to participate, going on with,

_Are you bringin' a present for me_

_Something pleasantly pleasant for me_

_That is just what I've been waitin' for_

_Would you mind slippin' it under the door_

"C'mon, John," Fin said enthusiastically, gesturing him to get up, too. "Don't be shy."

"I'm not shy." John glared at him. "I just don't sing."

Fin frowned back, but started with the next verse,

_Four winds are howlin'_

_Or maybe that be growlin'_

_My legs feel like straws_

_Oh my, my, me, my_

_Kindly would you reply_

_Is 'zat you, Santa Claus_

_Yeah_

_Oh hangin' my stockin'_

_I can hear a knockin'_

_'Zat you, Santa Claus_

"You don't want to or you can't?" Fin finally pushed. Usually his partner was up to any kind of joke. He seldom backed out of banter.

"You don't want me to try," John grumbled sourly. "I promise you that." He liked how his partner went on singing, but he knew that he better not joined him.

_Yeah, say now _

_Hey there, who is it_

_Stoppin' for a visit_

_'Zat you, Santa Claus_

Fin just was about to start with the last verse when Munch rose from his chair and slowly walked towards the door.

"Hey! Where're ya going?" Fin called after him.

John did not reply. He did not know why, but he suddenly felt like crap. These people were in a way too good temper for his liking. So he started for the crib, leaving Fin to stare at his back first and then at the closing door.

"We can sing together," one of the office clerks cheerfully threw in. "I don't know this song, but maybe you know another?"

"Nah," Fin grumbled and dropped back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. He did not feel like singing anymore.

tbc…


	12. Trapped

**Santa ****Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU**

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU . This is just for fun.

A/N: What a bummer that the review box did not work. Thanks for mailing me your comment. Hope it will work today. :D This chapter's for you.

**12**

**Trapped**

Wrapped in pain Olivia awoke to darkness. Her right side hurt, she just did not know why.

_Oh, yes, I know why,_ she corrected herself. _The damned van flip-flopped_.

Inside of the van it was dark. Olivia had to look hard to make out her surroundings. Obviously the roof of the car was now the bottom. In the front, against the brighter frame of the windshield, she could see at least one of the guys hanging in the seatbelts. His head dangled at a strange angle, so she suspected him to be dead. Still, she did not know about the other two.

And Elliot!

Someone groaned. As she did not recognize the voice, it had to be one of the other men.

With some difficulties Olivia got up in a sitting position and fumbled with the buckle of the belt binding her legs. Once she'd managed to free herself she got up, closed her pants again and went for the front to check on the man lying there. He was alive but unconscious. As she could not tell how long he would be out, she did not intend to take any risk. So she grabbed the belt and, even though she knew that she could cause further damage if he was injured, she pulled the man's arms behind his back and bound them with the belt. Then she crawled back into the loading space of the van.

She was searching for Elliot but hit Cornwell first. As she did, the giant groaned again.

_I have to get off these cuffs_, Olivia thought. She patted the man's jacket and trousers for the keys. _There they are!_ She got them out and… _Damn!_

If he did it on purpose or not was irrelevant, but Cornwell had put on the cuffs with the keyholes upwards like she would have done, too. Olivia could not reach the locks to release herself. She swore again.

Cautiously not to wake him up, she searched for her gun and got it out of his waistband. Then she climbed over Cornwell and crouched down next to the other man. Elliot did not react at all when she touched him and fear grabbed for her heart. She searched for his pulse and sighed with relief when she felt it softly beat against her finger.

"Elliot? Elliot, can you hear me?"

Still she got no reaction. Her partner lay half on his side half on his back so that she could not reach his cuffs. There was no other choice than to turn him, and when she did he groaned.

_I__'m hurting him_. Grief stabbed Olivia's stomach. _But besides freeing him, I have to get those cuffs for our perv, too._

Once she had them she went for Cornwell again. As he was heavier than Elliot she had to work hard to get him on his belly, and with her wrists still cuffed it was especially difficult, but then she managed to bind his arms safely behind his back. She returned to Elliot to get the belt, too, and wound it around Cornwell's ankles.

So now her partner was free and the bad guy bound. She liked that much better. Sitting down beside Elliot, she was breathing heavily. Outside the wind was howling. The windshield was broken, but it was averted from the wind so it did not snow very much through the opening. Instead the snow-drift outside grew higher and higher, covering the hole.

Olivia leaned against the wall of the van and shivered with cold. Exhaustion caused her eyes to close, but they flew open again before she could fall to sleep. Every so often she dozed off just for seconds.

_I can't give in to sleep_, she thought_. I'll sleep, I'll freeze to death_. She rubbed her shins and thighs.

Cornwell had to be awake again. From time to time he strained against his bonds. He did not try to talk but was brooding silently.

Olivia's gaze still rested on the motionless form of her partner, barely visible in the fading light. As far as she could tell Elliot was still unconscious. She forced herself to get up again. Squatting beside Elliot she carefully pulled him onto his back and let her hand run over his face and neck to the shoulders. When she touched his left shoulder he groaned. Automatically she jerked back her hand, but then she proceeded to palpate his body for injuries.

_Some of his ribs might be cracked, too. Hell, I wish I could help him._ When she reached for his left leg she felt something cold and sticky under her fingertips. _Damn. Blood!_

Her insides constricted. _I should have helped him! God, Elliot! They took me by surprise and then it was too late._

She racked her mind what she could do for him. First of all she had to keep him warm. The engine did not work so heating was out of the question. She also had to treat his wound, but how should she do that. Was there a first aid kit somewhere? _Ah!_ She stepped over Cornwell and headed for the dead guy to get his scarf, then returned to Elliot. As cautiously as possible she felt his leg up and down to examine it further, but she could not find the wound.

"Ugh… Liv?"

The weak sound startled her. "Elliot!"

He could hear her fear and grief in this single word. "What happened?" he asked, his voice barely audible.

"We were in a car crash again," she explained. "I think the van has turned over."

"What van?"

_What…?_ Olivia felt a chill run down her spine. _Don't panic,_ she told herself. _It's not unusual that the short-term memory's gone after an accident. It will most likely return. So stay calm._

"Cornwell's van," she said. "After we arrested him, they shoved us off the street and took us with them. Then the van turned over."

"Why?"

"It happened because of the snow storm."

"It's so dark," he weakly said. "And so cold. Where are we?"

"We're still in the van," Olivia explained. "I haven't been able to get us out yet."

Elliot did not answer her this time and she was already wondering if he was unconscious again when he asked, "What about the others?"

"One is dead," she said and looked over to the driver. "I secured the other two."

"Sure?"

His voice was wavering, if with pain or because he remembered how they got in this awkward situation, she could not tell.

"Well, yes, I think so." As the snow-drift grew around the van, it became even darker. It was almost pitch-black inside. "Can you try and help me, Elliot?" she asked.

For a moment he remained silent. She had almost concluded that he had passed out this time when he answered, "How?"

Olivia let out her breath in a rush. "I got the keys for the cuffs, but I can't reach the keyhole."

"Then give it to me…" He lifted his right arm, searching for her hand. When he felt her, he turned his palm up. So she placed the keys in it, the one in question already pushed out. Elliot managed to get it into the lock and a few seconds later she was free.

"Thanks, partner."

"You're welcome."

Olivia looked at her wrists, seeing nothing, but they felt very sore. The metal had cut into her flesh and when she removed the cuffs it hurt like hell, but she chose to ignore it.

"How do you feel?" she asked.

"Cold," he moaned.

"I'm not surprised." Olivia turned again to his leg and made the calf a provisory bandage.

"Is it still snowing?" Elliot wanted to know.

"I guess so. I can't look outside."

His look turned puzzled but it was too dark for her to see.

"We're buried beneath the snow," Cornwell laughed suddenly, wickedly. "And if this storm doesn't stop soon we're all just dead meat."

"Shut up!" Olivia snapped.

"Or what?" he teased her.

Aiming at the sound, she kicked for his head, smashing it into the roof that now was the ground, and he was silent again.

"You can be brutal," Elliot said.

"He deserves it."

She got up and felt her way to the front of the van. On her way over there she noticed that one side of the van was dented, most likely by the force of the impact. Carefully she groped around for anything she could probably use. She shivered. Not only with cold but also with fear. The whining of the storm became softer.

_No illusions_, Olivia berated herself. _That doesn't necessarily mean that it's letting up. The drifts are growing around us and muffle the sounds_.

There was something, a case or… She fumbled with the locks. When it opened her fingers slid over rolls of gauze. There also was a mylar blanket for retaining body heat. She had found the first aid kit. Good news for once.

"Hey, what are you doing?" the man under the passenger's seat asked.

"Not your business, asshole," she grumbled and searched for the glove box.

She held up the lid and fumbled around inside. There was something, something with a thick round handle, a switch… She turned it and a light lit up. It made her sigh.

tbc…


	13. Confrontation

**Santa ****Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU**

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU . I'm making no money out of this whatsoever. Don't sue me, I have no money.

**1****3**

**Confrontation**

Alex was about to leave the hospital when she instinctively made a step backwards from the sight that greeted her outside the big glass doors.

"Oh my," she gasped.

Retreating further back into the building, she still stared at the whirling snow.

_Now it's clear why the lights went out for a moment. The generator must have taken over power supply. It's a good thing__ I don't have any more appointments today,_ she thought. _I don't really feel like going out there._

For a while she settled down on a chair, waiting for the snowfall to decrease, but if anything it became heavier.

Alex felt trapped and she did not like that one bit.

"Shit!" someone exclaimed. It was a female voice and so sharp that it made Alex look up. "Oh no! I don't believe it! This is a nightmare! I can't possibly go out now! How am I supposed to be on time for my date!"

_Your date?_ Alex wondered. _Some professional appointment or actually a date with a man?_ With her eyes she followed Mrs. Rawlins pacing in front of the big doors. She looked like a caged tiger.

"Doesn't look as if we're going anywhere anytime soon, huh?" Alex said.

Mrs. Rawlins pivoted on her heels.

"You!" she spat.

_Sounds like she blames me for the snowstorm,_ Alex chuckled inwardly. _Or I'm just a ready target for her anger._

"Me?"

"Yeah, you," Mrs. Rawlins growled. "You were talking to my daughter!"

_She makes it sound like an insult._ Alex stood up from her chair, not wanting to have to look up at her. Now standing she was taller than the other woman.

"Yes, I talked with her. That's part of my job as assistant district attorney, ma'am," she told her in her best court-room-voice, wanting to make her feel like a witness on cross examination.

"Is it also your job to alienate Patricia against me and to interfere with me and my ex-husband?"

_Now you're accusing me?_ Alex held her stare straight-faced.

"I'm acting in the interest of your daughter," Alex said. "Patricia was attacked and badly wounded and it is our duty, yours, her father's, the detectives' and mine, to find out who's responsible and to put them behind bars. I, for my part, will do what is necessary to achieve that goal."

"Then you better find out if she was really attacked or did it voluntarily, getting frostbite when she hid afterwards, scared of my reaction if I'd found out about what she'd done."

Alex stood agape. The words were monstrous. Did this woman realize who and what she was talking about? Now she was more determined than before to help Patricia, not only with the case.

Alex already started thinking about whom Mr. Rawlins could possibly call to start custody proceedings. At once she could come up with two names of lawyers she could recommend. She did not like them, but they were good. It would not hurt if she would recommend a psychiatrist, too.

xxx

When John woke up barely an hour later he found Fin on the cot next to him. He got up to sit on the edge and grabbed his partner's shoulder to wake him.

"What?" Fin grumbled.

"What about the music?" John asked. "Weren't you singing when I left?"

"As you said… I _was_ singing. Why the hell did you go?" Fin asked back. "It wasn't fun without you, partner."

"Don't blame me. It was your stupid idea… and I told you that I can't sing."

"It wasn't stupid, man!" Fin also sat up. His gaze fell on the window and he shuddered. "Damn, it's still storming," he said, listening to the shrill whining.

"I really do hope that Olivia and Elliot are at one of the other precincts. This storm is murderous."

"I can't remember if I've ever seen a heavier blizzard than this." Fin stared at the window. Thick flakes stuck to it before they slowly slid down and fell. There was nothing to see but snow and darkness.

"Maybe they went back to the bar to wait there."

"There's no telling what they did. There's nothing we can do right now."

"That's what's eating away at us," John stated. It made him sick to stare at the whirling snow. He felt caged. He wanted to do… something, but did not know what. A look at Fin told him that his partner also looked for an outlet for his energy.

"We could work out together, but you know I'm not that big at sports," he suggested.

Fin glared at him. "Yeah, I know, you're as athletic as a three-legged giraffe."

tbc…


	14. Missing

**Santa ****Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU**

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU . I'm making no money out of this whatsoever. Don't sue me, I have no money.

**14**

**Missing**

The flashlight served Olivia well. Once more she examined Elliot's injuries and treated them as well as she could even though she could not do much. She had to get him to a hospital… if only she knew how to get there in the storm. Damn! She did not even have any idea where they were right now! Then she turned the light off. It was not wise to use up the batteries.

Muffled by the thick drifts of snow, the whining of the storm was hardly audible. Instead the frame of the van squealed occasionally, the snow weighing heavily on it.

"We can't stay here forever," Cornwell grunted. "What do you plan to do, _bitch_?"

"It's still storming. If we go outside in this weather, we could freeze before we find help," she said more to Elliot than to Cornwell and instinctively tightened her hold on him.

Leaning against the wall of the van, she had drawn her partner to her chest. Her arms wrapped around him she tried to give warmth and received an odd feeling of security in return. It was soothing to feel his constant breathing. _Could it be that it's not as cold as in the beginning? Probably the snow insulates, like when it's made into an igloo._

Still, Olivia could not simply relax. Somehow she had to do what Cornwell said. They needed a plan, because he was right, they could not stay here forever. Olivia knew that. And as soon as the storm let up someone would have to try to get out and get help.

She felt Elliot shiver against her.

"I know, it's cold," she whispered into his ear. "Hold out, sweetheart. We'll be fine. You'll see."

"I wish I could believe you," he murmured back.

Now Olivia shivered, too, just not from the cold. Never before had she heard him speak in such a weak voice, sounding so defeated. It scared the shit out of her.

"You could get Dom's clothes."

Olivia was startled by the voice that was a bit higher than Cornwell's and it took her a second to realize that it was his companion who had spoken. She could hear him struggle as he tried to sit up. _What did he say?_ She had missed the content of his words.

"Dom's dead," the guy said. "So he won't need his clothes anymore."

Olivia lit the flashlight and shone in the direction of his voice. "How do _you_ feel?" she asked.

"Cold, too," he answered. "But it's bearable. After all, I'm not wounded."

"I'm freezing!" Cornwell complained. "How about something to warm _me_?"

"Are you injured?" his comrade yelled. "No?! Then shut up you filthy bastard."

"You're dead, Buster!" Even in the periphery of the flashlight's rays, Olivia could see Cornwell turn deep red with rage. "You're so brave only because I'm cuffed! You coward! I'll finish you off, you rat! No one defies me, you hear me! Rat!"

"At least I made up my mind," Buster barked and, lowering his voice, he added, "If you release me, I'll help you, Ma'am."

Olivia thought about that offer. If he was cheating her it could turn out to be dangerous.

"Let him," Elliot threw in. "He didn't want to take us. Cornwell forced him."

"You're sure?" she whispered and he nodded. "Then I have to get up now." Olivia pushed him a bit forward to be able to get out from under him. He groaned. Damn! She hated to cause him more pain. Once more she checked on him as she helped him settle down against the van's wall, then she stood up and went for Buster to take off the belt that held his hands. As soon as he was freed he rubbed his arms and legs to get a bit warmer. Then he turned towards his dead friend gesturing Olivia to help him. She put down the flashlight, positioning it in a way that it shone in their direction.

"Sorry, Dom," Buster said when he unbuckled the seatbelt and the body dropped into their arms. Together they lowered him down and he got Dom's pants and coat off. Then they went to Elliot and helped him to put both on.

"Is it just me, or is the air somewhat poor?" Buster asked while they were working. "It's muggy in here."

"There's barely any fresh air getting in and there are four of us." Olivia sighed. "It won't get better… but at least it's keeping some warmth, too."

Elliot tried to help them but he found out quickly that he had difficulties doing so. His left side hurt a lot. Where Olivia had bandaged his leg it was probably broken and his ribs hurt with every breath he took. He tried not to groan when they helped him into the second coat, but he could not fool his partner.

"I'm sorry, El," she whispered close to his ear. "I know you hurt."

"I bet you're cold, too," he pressed through gritted teeth. "Why don't you put it on?"

"You need it more," she simply stated. Then she bowed forward. The other man did not need to hear what she had to say. "I can move to get my system working. Actually you're keeping me warm by making me care for you." She smirked. "You'll wear this to keep you warm. No backtalk!"

"Olivia…" he tried to protest anyway.

"No, partner. You'll get it. Here you go." With that she buttoned up the coat.

"Shall I try to get through this drift over the windshield?" Buster wanted to know.

For a moment she thought about it. "What about the doors?" she finally asked.

"I just tried the backdoor," he said. "It doesn't open. And the slide door is dented in."

"Hmmm… Well, then see how thick the drift is. We have to find a way to get out anyway. It doesn't matter if we try now or later."

She picked up the flashlight and shone in the front of the van. The windshield was cracked but almost complete. Before he tried to dig through the drift, he had to remove part of the glass first.

"You can't do this with your hands," she declared. "Let's try find a tool."

xxx

"It's slowing down," Don Cragen said, staring out of the window. "Let's hope that it stops."

"And then what?" John asked, leaning in his office chair, feet on the desk. "We'll still have to stay here. We don't drive snowplows."

"Or snowmobiles," Fin added.

"Well, right now there's nothing urgent, is it?"

Fin shook his head. "Not that I'd know of."

The lights flickered and a second later the squad room was illuminated again.

"Ah, that's better!" some detective muttered. The typical noises of a busy office settled down on the bullpen.

Just the moment captain Cragen wanted to return to his office the phone on Elliot's desk rang, so he picked it up and answered it, "Cragen."

"Hello, Don," a familiar voice greeted him.

"Kathy!" he said. "How are you?"

"We're fine. Just wanted to let Elliot know that we're all safe at home and that everything's okay. I mean that's one heavy storm. Some drifts are several yards high."

"Sorry, Kathy, but Elliot isn't at the station," Cragen said and could have bitten his tongue in the same second. After what she had told him, now she might be worried.

"Oh. Where is he then?" she instantly asked.

"He was out interviewing witnesses when the blizzard started," Cragen explained. "I'm sure he and Olivia found shelter before it started to storm."

"Did you talk to them? We had no phone connection for a while and when it worked again I tried to call his cell. He just doesn't answer."

Now he could hear the worry in her voice. She tried to suppress it, but it was there nevertheless.

"I bet they are sitting at another precinct or maybe in a diner, drinking coffee to warm up and haven't yet thought about calling us," Cragen tried to calm her down. "I'll radio them and let him know that you're awaiting his call."

"Thank you, Don."

"You're welcome, Kathy. Say hi to the kids from us."

"I will. Thanks, Don."

Smiling at the phone he pressed down the cradle to dial. Neither Olivia nor Elliot were answering. So he asked dispatch to radio their car. They also answered him in the negative.

"I have Cornwell's army file now," Fin said.

"Put it off," Cragen told him. "I want you and Munch to find out where Olivia and Elliot are."

Both partners looked at each other incredulously.

"Why don't we radio them?" Fin asked.

"I already have. They're not answering, neither the radio nor their cells. Where were they last?"

"Interviewing people from the university," John said. "They must still be somewhere between 26th and 25th precincts."

"Then you should go and find them."

"You want us to walk to 119th Street?" John gasped. "Because I don't think that you can drive in these snowdrifts. The power didn't go out without a reason."

"If that's what it will take to get you there," Cragen sounded very serious.

John frowned in response. "Don't make it an order," he said. "I would be tempted to disobey."

Now it was Cragen who frowned.

"I don't even have boots on!" John explained pointing at his shoes. "I want to know what happened and if they are okay, but I don't want to lose my feet while trying to find out!"

"Well, we could find some boots for you," Fin threw in.

"Thanks, partner. I don't need boots."

"You will need them as soon as we go out there."

"Don't tell me you want to do what the captain suggested. Do you really want to walk to 26th Precinct?"

"If necessary… Hey, it's Elliot and Olivia we're talking about."

John grumbled something unintelligibly. He would have liked to pretend to be busy but it was hardly possible to do paperwork with an annoyed captain looking over his shoulder.

"Hey!" Fin shouted. "I'll get you some boots." And he rushed out of the bullpen.

_That doesn't sound encouraging_, John thought. He looked out of the window. Still flakes were tumbling down, but it was only light snowfall now and it did not storm anymore.

tbc…


	15. Fear and faith

**Santa ****Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU**

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU . Lucky Dick Wolf…

**15**

**Fear and faith**

Using the crowbar they had found, Buster smashed the remains of the windshield. Carefully he removed the shards and began to dig through the drift. The snow was hard, pressed together by its own weight and merging to a firm mass.

The hole he made was tight, barely wider than his arm. When he finally pushed the bar through the thick drift a rush of fresh air came in. At least he sensed it as that. Peering through the hole he saw nothing but darkness. No whistling could be heard. He took off his glove and pushed his arm through to feel with his hand.

"I can't tell if it's still storming," he said. "I think I should try and open the hole as wide as we'd need it to get out."

"Shall I help you?" Olivia asked.

"No, it's okay," he warded off. "Keeps me warm."

So she settled back against the wall as Buster continued his work.

"Elliot?" She gently stroked his forehead. It was warm. Did he have a fever? "Elliot!" she called more urgently. "Don't fall asleep, honey."

"I'm not sleeping," he replied lowly. "I'm shivering too hard to fall asleep."

Olivia was worried even if he tried to raise her mood by joking.

"Tell me the truth," she said, caressing his cheek. "How much do you really hurt?"

He did not answer at once and she worried even more. She knew that he liked to put on the tough façade. He did not want to worry her, so he kept his pain to himself instead of letting her share and relieve it. He used to bottle everything up inside of him.

"I hurt too much to feel good anyway," he retreated. Cautiously he shifted his position, trying to get closer to her. "And I don't like some of the company."

"I know what you mean," she murmured with a glance at Cornwell, who was only visible as a dark heap.

The body of the van squealed.

Elliot's breaths came only with efforts. "I don't like that either," he stated.

"Buster? How is it going?" Olivia shouted to change the subject.

"Halfway through, I guess!" he replied, panting with the effort.

"Well, that's good," she encouraged him.

That was when the creaking and crunching noises grew louder. For a second they thought the van would collapse, but nothing happened. Instead they were startled by Elliot's piercing scream which testified to pain.

Olivia jumped. "Go on, Buster."

He did not need any more encouragement.

"Elliot?!" She wrestled to her feet and crouched down next to him. In the ray of the flashlight his face was paler than the fresh snow and contorted with pain. He sat slumped forward, clutching his middle with both arms and rocking slightly back and forth. His breath was erratic and he had to cough every so often.

"Elliot! C'mon, talk to me." Olivia fought to contain her panic. "Can I help you, honey?"

"I guess he will be finished off soon," Cornwell laughed. "Will you cry for him, bitch?"

That was too much. Olivia flashed the light around and found the spare glove that once had been in her mouth.

"Shut up!" she yelled and pushed it between his jaws. Cornwell groaned but she did not care.

"Elliot?" she returned to him.

"It's not fatal, I guess. But I probably have some cracked ribs."

"I think so, too. But what if one has punctured a lung?" Cautiously she wrapped her arms around him to offer support.

He gave a strangled laugh. "If I had a punctured lung, I would be coughing blood by now. There would be nothing _you_ could do." Slowly he relaxed into her embrace. "When it squealed I thought that the van would crash. I jumped and that hurt. It's just the pain."

Olivia was not convinced. She could feel the shudders that passed through him each time he breathed and heard the tremor in his voice.

"So we have to find someone who can help you. We'll get out and soon you'll be okay."

"Can you turn the light out?" he asked. "We're not in an interrogation."

"Buster, do you need the light?" she demanded to know.

"No," he answered and she switched it off.

In the moment before it became dark again she could see Elliot's lips move in silent speech. She could also feel him fumble with something.

"What are you doing?" she murmured, shifting her weight to be able to support him better.

"I'm praying," he replied.

_I should have known that, _Olivia thought_. It's quite natural for him if not for me._ She did not know why, but it scared her.

"You're surprised?" Elliot asked. "How long have we been partners now?"

"Long enough. I just… didn't think of it before you told me."

He did not miss the telltale tremor in her voice. "Why are you scared? Do you think I'm giving up because I'm praying?"

His insight surprised her. _But then_, she remembered, _he is a gentle, loving and caring man. He is very sympathetic. He's proven it more than once when I was upset about something._

"I'm not giving up, Liv. I'm praying for all of us." For a moment he was thinking, weighing if he should tell her more. "I don't want to die, Liv, especially not this way," he tried to explain. "But if He decides that my time has come, I will follow Him."

"Don't you dare, Elliot! You may have faith in Him and His decisions, but as long as I have a say in this matter you won't go with anybody!"

He chuckled, which made him cough again. Caused by this cough he felt a renewed fiery pain in his side that he had chosen to ignore before.

Olivia could feel the tension in his body. "You're not telling me the truth," she said. He seemed to relax again. "What is it? Where are you injured? Are you injured internally?"

Elliot did not answer her. He could not because he was unconscious.

tbc…


	16. Search in the snow

**Santa ****Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU**

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU . I'm making no money out of this whatsoever. Don't sue me, I have no money.

A/N: Thanks for reviewing. :) Many thanks to my beta for the help and all the wonderful suggestions.

**16**

**Search in the snow**

"John?!" Fin shouted. "Look what I've got for you…" He held up a pair of well lined boots, scarlet red with a white fur brim.

"You don't expect me to wear that, do you?" John was taken aback.

"They will be warm. And I think that they will fit well… must be your size."

"I don't think so."

"John…" Cragen said. Their looks met and locked. The captain's brows narrowed. "Try them on."

"Sir?" Well, the captain seemed to be serious. So John got up and took the boots. "Where did you find these things?"

"You remember the Santa Olivia and Elliot arrested a few days ago??" Fin replied. "He was not the only one. Down there they had one in custody who was in for robbery…"

"You owe me, partner."

"Yeah, John. Get finished."

"In the meantime we made some calls. We know that Olivia and Elliot were not at one of the precincts up there. They must have found other shelter." Cragen summed up what they had found out. "The techs at One PP will call us back soon. They're tracking their LoJack."

"How's the weather?" John demanded to know.

"Just a light snowfall. Just the streets… You don't see much of a street."

"Traffic?"

One of the junior detectives, standing at the window, chuckled. "No traffic, not that I can see from here." He bowed forward a bit more. "Damn! There are high snowdrifts. Maybe even some of the subway entrances are drifted shut. It doesn't look as if you could drive by car right now."

And it was still quite dark. Several buildings they could see from here were not lit at all. Only the ones with an emergency generator had power.

Cragen felt a chill on his back. _Once the folks are convinced the blizzard is over, we have to hope that mayhem can be prevented. As long as there's no electricity security systems won't work… _He pushed that thought aside.

The phone in Cragen's office rang and he rushed to pick it up. His detectives saw him nod several times. Then he put the phone down and joined them again.

"John, Fin! The tech said their car is somewhere at the crossing of 126th St. and Riverside Drive. Get going."

And that was what they did.

xxx

"We won't walk to 126th Street," John declared on their ride down. "_I_ won't walk."

"We'll find a way," Fin said. "Maybe we can stop the next snowplow passing."

John frowned at him deeply, but he followed his partner. When they stepped out of the front door the wind was blowing cold in their faces, but it did only snow a bit. Their colleague had been right with his assumption, the nearest subway entrance was blocked with snow.

They had to walk three blocks until they met a snowplow. The driver was quite surprised when Fin gestured him to stop but agreed to take them with him. They went up to 100th Street where the driver waited until a colleague came who could take the detectives to 126th Street.

The last bit Fin and John walked down the streets, already looking at the cars, trying to find the Ford of Elliot and Olivia. Under their boots the snow was crunching. Still, it was almost as dark as in a dungeon. Many houses were still without power.

In the middle of the night, without electricity and not so long after a heavy blizzard there were not many public places open and even fewer people outside.

Now they stood at the crossing, looking over the cars which were covered with snow, trying to judge which one might be the police car. Finally Fin walked to the first one and brushed the snow from the plates. John did the same and so they cleared several plates but did not find the one they were looking for.

Fin got out his cell phone and called Cragen. John saw him scowl as he listened.

"It must be somewhere around here," Fin said. "It didn't move since they last checked."

"That confuses me. Where is it then?"

Fin shrugged. "Maybe we should start where they left off… at the pool hall."

John rolled his eyes. "That's a good march away." But then he trotted along behind his partner, content to let the burlier detective do the hard work of breaking a trail on the snowy sidewalk. When they reached the pool hall around one a.m. it was closed.

"And now?" John asked. He clapped his hands and stepped from one foot to the other in an effort to warm up his chilled digits.

"We'll keep searching."

"Where the hell do we go from here?" John yelled at him. "We've been walking the streets for hours, but so far we have nothing!"

Around the corner a dumpster lid slammed shut. They walked there to check it out.

"Sir? NYPD. Do you have a minute?" Fin asked, showing his badge.

The man in the alley raised a flashlight to see who was approaching.

"Cops? Now? What the bloody hell do you want?" he asked in a British accent that sounded proper even though his words weren't.

"Do you work at the pool hall?" John wanted to know.

"No. I live in a flat on third floor." The man walked towards a door. "Let's go inside. It's more than uncomfortable out here. Why are you asking about the pool hall? You want to do something about those wankers calling themselves _students_ who hang about there? If that's the case, then it's too late in the evening."

"You don't like students?" Fin raised his eyebrows.

"I don't like _those_ students." The man picked cigarettes from out of his pocket and lit one up. He held the pack out to the cops.

"No, thanks," they said. "What can you tell us about them?"

"They are mean. They harass the waitresses and disturb the other customers. I used to play pool down there, made a right decent income, too, betting on the games, because it's so much easier than snooker, but since this guy, Paul something, started to come I avoid the place."

"Have you seen them today?" John asked. "Before the blizzard?"

"Yeah, they were here. Headed for Riverside Drive when they left, following their comrade." The man chuckled. "Looked like he messed with the wrong people this time. He seemed to be pissed off when they went for their car."

"Can you describe these people?" Fin was alerted. This might have been Olivia and Elliot. Did they arrest Cornwell?

"A man and a woman. She had dark hair with a touch of red, shoulder length. I only saw her just for a moment before she got into the car. His hair was also dark, very short, like a soldier. He had a long woolen coat, dark blue, brown suit. He was cleaning the lights."

"What happened next?"

"He got in, too, and drove away. They stopped for a moment at the next crossing. A moment later the others were following them."

"In the direction of Riverside Drive?"

"Yeah. I already said that, didn't I?" He blew the smoke in John's face. "Was that all? Can I go up to my flat now?"

"Yes, sir. Thank you."

He waved it off and left.

"Riverside Drive," John said. "We just came from there."

"So if the LoJack tracks the signal as coming from there, doesn't that mean that the car's somewhere around there?"

John looked up at Fin with resignation. "Riverside Drive leads alongside Riverside Park… but why should they drive into the park?"

An uneasy feeling settled in Fin's gut. "We should check it."

"Go back?" John panted. Once more he rolled his eyes as Fin nodded.

tbc…


	17. Out

**Santa ****Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU**

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU . I'm making no money out of this whatsoever. Don't sue me, I have no money.

**17**

**Out**

"You really think you can help me?" Benjamin Rawlins asked, holding out a cup of coffee to Alex Cabot. "The divorce decree left me paying almost everything, but I can't get anything in return. The bitch even forbids me to visit Patty."

"Does she have a court order to prohibit visits?" Alex asked, accepting the coffee. Once again she had had a difficult talk with Patty and welcomed the hot brew. "Only then it would be lawful."

"Yes, she has," he admitted meekly.

They sat down in the visitor's lounge. Outside it was not snowing so hard anymore, but Alex was not in a hurry anyway. What made her hesitate was her job. During her time with special victims she had learned that even the father who appeared to be the most innocent, loving parent could be the one who hurt the kids most if he loved them in the wrong way.

"Why did she get one?" she asked.

Rawlins winced.

"I had some trouble," he admitted. "But that's all resolved, I even was in therapy and still go to support group meetings."

At once Alex was suspicious and he sensed it.

"Nothing that might threaten my girl. I… almost killed myself."

That made Alex frown. She had to know more and was about to ask when he continued on his own.

"Some years ago I had a pretty bad accident. I had a long, painful recovery." He paused. "I could only stand the pain with the help of meds… and after a while I was addicted. One thing led to another and finally she walked out on me."

Obviously it hurt him to talk about it, too. Alex could understand that.

"My divorce lawyer was not the most competent one, so she eventually got everything she wanted… and back then I didn't have the energy to fight. That was my mistake. I should have hired another lawyer and gone to court again, but I just couldn't. Everything was hurting too much. It took a lot of work with the support group to rebuild my confidence. Once it did I let her know that I would sue and she taunted me, said I wouldn't stand a chance… so I didn't even try."

He looked at Alex almost pleadingly.

"I want to do the right thing for Patty. If living with my ex is what is good for her, I accept that, but I want to be part of her life, too, and she misses me. It can't stay the way it is now."

Thoughtfully Alex sat with him and drank her coffee. She had no reason not to believe him. He sounded genuine. Maybe she should suggest someone take his case pro bono... as a favor to the court to get Patty the support she needed right now to be a strong and reliable witness. Then she took her business card out and gave it to him.

"I can't act on your behalf, Mr. Rawlins," she said. "But if you call me tomorrow, I'll give you the numbers of a few very good family lawyers I know."

"Thank you!" he beamed at her, pocketing her card. "Thank you very much."

"Thank you for the coffee."

With one last smile at him she gathered her stuff and left the hospital.

xxx

"Elliot!"

Panic took hold of Olivia's heart as she noticed that he had lost consciousness. That was not good. That was not good at all. She felt for his pulse but could not find it. So her heart leapt into her throat. Choking on it she tried once more to find a sign of life.

"What is it?" Buster asked. He was right beside her.

"He's passed out," she said. "One moment we were talking, the next he fainted."

"Maybe he hurt himself when he moved so fast."

"He was probably injured internally in the accident."_ Or the beating_, she thought. _Cornwell, that scumbag_.

"I'm almost through," Buster tried to cheer her up. "Just give me a couple of minutes."

_We don't have time. At least __Elliot doesn't have time. He needs a doctor_.

She heard Buster work. All she could do was hold her partner close to her chest and wish for him to wake up again, to hold on until they could get out, until they could find help… Help! Even if they did get out of the crashed van they could not be sure to find help right around the next corner. She had no idea where they were… or how much it really had snowed. The announced blizzard had brought a lot of snow. The way the drift rose over the windshield testified to that. She sighed. It was hopeless!

"Liv?"

She did not hear him even though his head rested on her shoulder. Lost in her grief she did not notice that he was awake.

"Olivia," he tried again with an effort.

"Elliot?"

"Don't cry, Liv. The tears will just freeze," he joked feebly.

It was only then that she noticed her tears rolling freely down her cheek and into his hair. She shivered, but not from the cold. It was the realization of how much she loved him as her friend that caused her goosebumps on her back and arms.

"Oh, Elliot," she sobbed. "I thought I'd lost you."

Tightly she held on to him, too tight. His groan pierced her soul.

"I'm through!" Buster shouted. He crawled through the hole and looked around.

Just a few flakes were falling. It was unusually silent. There weren't even any houses nearby. All Buster could see were trees and a long snow covered band parting them, the street. The lack of traffic sounds made him uneasy. Where the heck did Dom drive? Buster crawled back in.

"It stopped snowing. We can leave and see if we can find help."

Cornwell groaned as Buster accidentally hit him.

"Come on, Ma'am. I'll help you with him."

"It's Detective, okay… not Ma'am."

"Detective. Let's move." He tried to grab one of Elliot's arms to help him, but Elliot shook it off.

"I can crawl on my own," he grumbled. "Just get this pile of shit out of my way."

The _pile of shit_ grunted and wriggled against the hands that tried to free his legs. Olivia had her gun ready when Buster helped Cornwell up. He was the one who climbed first through the hole and reached in to grab Cornwell's shoulders, to pull him out. No one wanted to risk releasing him from the cuffs. Then Olivia followed. Her gun at the ready she guarded him.

Still inside Elliot tried on his own to get over to the hole. He did not want to be treated like an invalid, but shifting himself to the side to get on his knees quickly disabused him of the illusion that he could get out on his own. Wracked with pain he curled up to a helpless heap. Glancing at the hole he hoped that no one came back in right now. Panting he lay and tried to fight the pain back. He had no idea how he was supposed to walk once he was outside of the van.

"Okay, let me see how I can help," Buster said and dove back in through the hole.

At first Elliot wanted to ward him off, but then he thought better of it. He could not deny that he hurt a lot. So even with the younger man at his side it was a difficult task to crawl out with only one good leg and cracked ribs, but he managed it. Once outside, though he did not admit it easily, he also needed help to remain standing. He put his right arm around Buster's neck who on the other hand wrapped his arm around Elliot's waist. The detective flinched. It hurt badly.

"Where the hell are we?" Olivia asked.

"New Jersey," Buster answered.

"Don't tell me you crossed the bridge during the storm!" She was thunderstruck. "Are you crazy? You could have killed all of us!"

"Don't remind me." In the darkness no one could see him flush. "It wasn't my idea and Dom was driving."

"Where do we go?" Olivia looked around. Intrigued to see nothing but trees alongside the road. In the shine of the full moon the fresh snow was glistening.

"I have no idea," Buster said. "Down the road, I would say."

He pointed in the direction and Olivia went on a few steps, gesturing Cornwell to walk in front of her. One last time she looked over her shoulder towards the van that was just a heap of snow. It was snowed in so deep that only the side and two tires sticking out were visible in the moonlight. The tree it had hit leaned heavy on it, making the body screech.

"Okay." Olivia shivered. "Let's go."

tbc…


	18. Walking to nowhere

**Santa ****Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU**

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU . I'm making no money out of this whatsoever. Don't sue me, I have no money.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. :D 

**18**

**Walking**

When Fin and John reached the crossing at Riverside Park again they passed the cars they already had checked by brushing free the plates. Now that the moon was out, the fresh snow shimmered in its light. The drifts softened the hard contours of the concrete canyons. And here at the park everything looked peaceful.

Except for the disturbed bushes just opposite 226th Street. Fresh snow had covered the tire tracks but a broken bush remained a broken bush.

"Why didn't we see that earlier?" John gasped, already striding towards the breach. "We were searching in the wrong direction!"

When the detectives entered the park they finally spotted the car they were searching for. It had hit a tree and was nothing more than scrap.

"Shit! No!" Fin yelled and jumped into the snow that turned out to reach his hips at this place.

John was more careful when he searched a way down to the car. Both detectives feared what they would find… their two colleagues and friends, wounded by the crash and frozen to death.

Fin was the first who reached the open passenger's door where a snow drift had formed halfway inside and covered part of the seat. His heart pounded wildly as he bowed down to take a closer look. With his flashlight he shone inside.

The car was empty.

"They're not here!" Fin shouted to John and beat the roof of the vehicle to let out his anger and frustration. "Shit! They're not here! I don't know if I should laugh or cry!"

"If they're not here that has to mean that they were able to walk away on their own. They can't be too badly injured." His calm voice belied his own fears.

"Where will they have turned from here?" Fin wondered aloud. "The precinct is too far away. They didn't go back to the pool hall, either… the university?"

"What about Riverside Church?" John asked. "It's not far away. A really big one, financed by Rockefeller Jr. in the early 20th century."

Fin was not even surprised by his partner's knowledge of the church's origins. He'd learned long ago that Munch was a vast repository of arcane information. "Try the church?" he agreed. "Elliot would go to a church."

"Try the church."

xxx

The road seemed to be endless. Walking became more and more difficult in the deep snow. Trudging through the drifts was strenuous and they only got along very slowly.

Cornwell was the first in the row with Olivia following close behind. They cleared a spur for Buster and Elliot who had already dropped back a good distance.

"Wait," Olivia hissed.

They stopped for a moment, not to lose contact with the others. That was when she realized that they were at a crossing. There was a road sign and she went over to wipe the snow away. Montammy Rd. it read and on a second sign below stood, Montammy Golf Club.

Olivia felt her heart leap, beating excitedly. It was not that far away and their best chance to reach safety. They would go there.

Turning around she watched Elliot and Buster. They were approaching agonizingly slow. Soon enough it had become too hard for Elliot and even though Buster was supporting him, he could not muster the strength to walk any further.

"I could change to the other side," Buster suggested.

"No. I can't hold on to you with my left arm." Elliot sighed. "How far do we have to go?"

"Well…" Buster looked up to estimate the distance, but there was just the plain road. It was not too difficult to walk in the stomped down spur, at least not for him, but for Elliot it felt as if he would have run a marathon course already. "You'll manage it anyway," Buster said. "Your partner will be more than pissed if you stay behind."

"I know." Elliot could not help but laugh. At once he had to cough again and groaned as a new wave of pain swept through his body.

"Detective!" Buster cried. "Wait for us!"

"Come back with me," Olivia ordered Cornwell and looked over her shoulder.

"I'm staying here," her captive declared, not moving an inch.

"You'll come with me," she insisted.

"Make me." He grinned and leaned back on one leg. Though his hands were cuffed behind his back he managed to assume an arrogant posture.

Olivia resisted the temptation to grab and shove him. Most likely she would not succeed as he was so much heavier than herself. She had other means.

Stepping behind him and grabbing one of his hands in a firm police grip, she herded him back to the other men.

"Elliot?" she said. "We're almost there. You'll make it. Come on, partner!" Ignoring her own exhaustion she took his left arm and put it around her neck. Once more he groaned due to the pain in his shoulder. "I know, it hurts. But we're so close. Now, c'mon."

"Close?" he groaned, not falling for her lie. "Almost there? Don't lie to me, Liv. I don't see anything but trees. So, close to what?"

"Close to freezing to death," Cornwell sneered.

This time Olivia ignored him, only concentrating on her partner.

"There's a golf club not far from here," she told him. "We'll go there. C'mon."

But further encouragement was fruitless. As soon as Elliot started to move his legs gave way underneath him and he threatened to fall. Crying out he clung to Buster who held him upright. Tears of pain shot to his eyes which he tried to blink back. He could do it if he wanted, he could!

"That doesn't work," Buster said. He tightened his grip on Elliot's upper body and bowed down to pick up his legs. "Let go," he told Olivia.

Elliot wanted to struggle, but he honestly did not have the energy to do so. He felt himself being lifted up.

"You can't carry him the whole way!" Olivia said. _Wherever it may take us._

"And he can't walk it," Buster contradicted. "Go on!"

Olivia stayed at his side as he fought his way through the drifts with Elliot in his arms. Cornwell eyed them with an amused look on his face.

"Why don't you leave him behind?" he asked with a smug grin. "He's as good as dead."

Olivia felt as if she would explode. Rage boiled up inside her. Rage coming from him raping Patricia, beating Elliot, trying to rape her! It just was too much. She lifted her gun, aiming at his head, her eyes narrowing.

"So are you if you don't shut up," she spat.

"Sweet bitch is still fighting the truth, Buster," Cornwell sneered. "Curses, like chickens, come home to roost. You don't know that, lady pig?"

She cocked the trigger.

"Detective." Buster could not believe it. "That's the wrong way."

"One wrong word and you're history," she hissed through gritted teeth. The hard knot of fear and fury in her gut tightened.

"Dead," Cornwell teased. "He's as good…"

"Olivia!"

"No," Buster cried out, but the shot already echoed through the still of the night.

tbc…


	19. Disturbing news

**Santa ****Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU**

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU . I'm making no money out of this whatsoever. Don't sue me, I have no money.

**19**

**Disturbing news**

Slowly the city woke up again. When John and Fin trotted down Riverside Drive in the direction of Riverside Church, the streetlights flickered on. Just in front of the entrance Fin stopped to take his cell phone out and inform Cragen.

The intimidating, twenty story high gothic façade towered over the street. The heavy doors were not locked and so the detectives went in. The benches were filled with people who had claimed sanctuary when the storm came. A man in the black robes of a cleric approached. He stopped short when John and Fin flashed their badges.

"Officers. What can I do for you?"

"We're looking for two people," Fin said. From out of his wallet he got a picture that showed not only Olivia and Elliot but also John, the Captain and himself. He pointed to the two missing when he showed it. "Have you seen them tonight?"

He looked closely at the photo but then shook his head. "No, sorry."

"Well, thank you anyway, father."

"You're welcome," he replied. He saw them turn to head out again and stopped them, "Don't take me wrong, but you look frozen. You have a minute to get a cup of coffee?"

Both detectives exchanged looks. Yes, they felt frozen. Something warm to drink would be wonderful.

"No time, Fin," John said. "We gotta find them."

"Five minutes," Fin grumbled. "C'mon, partner. We can ask around while we're here."

"Fin…"

"Okay," Fin agreed for them. "Thank you, father."

The priest nodded and went to get two mugs. When he had provided them with coffee he let the cops alone again to look after the other people who had found shelter here.

John and Fin moved discretely through the crowd as they sipped their coffee, asking the people if anyone had seen their friends. As they neared the bottoms of their mugs, they met back at the doors to share any information they might have gleaned, but all of the responses were negative.

"So, do we risk wasting more time here asking around, or do we go back outside and look for them ourselves?" John asked.

It was Fin who noticed them first, the two young men staring at them from one of the pews. He called John's attention to them but signaled him not to alarm them by turning around and staring back.

They were nearly finished with their coffee and considering their next move when one of the men stood up. His companion wanted to stop him, but the first waved him off and slowly came up to the detectives.

"Sir?" he asked. "You cops?"

"Yeah," Fin replied. "What's up?"

Nervously the guy stepped from one foot to the other. "You showed the father a picture. Who are you searching for?"

Fin got it out again and held it up. "The two at the left." The young man's eyes already lit up in recognition. "Have you seen them?"

He swallowed, but after a moment's hesitation he nodded. "I was playing pool last evening. They're cops, too, right?"

"Yes, they are," John confirmed. "So tell us what you know."

"They arrested Paul and went to get him to the station. Paul's friends were following them."

They waited but he did not continue on his own.

"And…?" Fin asked.

"We were two of them. At first we thought that they were only going to have some fun, play a joke on them or something. But then they shoved their car off the street." He looked down at his shoes and fell silent again.

"What do you want to tell us?" John pressed. "Now, talk to us."

"Paul beat them up. I didn't realize what he was about to do until he shoved her in his van. Then he went to get the other cop, too. He beat him down and also threw him in. That was when Phil and I ran away. I guess Paul took off together with Dom and Buster."

His words echoed in their heads and took on meaning slowly. Beat down? Thrown into a van? Taken hostage?

"Will I be in trouble now?" the guy asked. "We didn't hurt them. And I thought about the police after we ran, but then... I didn't know how to find anyone to help as long as it was still storming."

"Hey, kid!" Fin grumbled. "You know what a telephone is, right?"

Embarrassed the younger man looked down at his now very interesting shoes and had the decency to blush.

"Next time call 911!"

"Do you know where they might have gone?" John cut in before his partner could do something stupid.

"Paul's parents," the guy now stuttered. "They have a cottage in New Jersey. Paul and his buddies often spend the weekend there. I don't know the address."

"Okay, thank you. Now tell me where _you_ live."

"Who? Me?" he asked, confused.

"Yeah, you. You're a witness. Now tell me."

He nodded, scribbled down his home address on John's pad and went back to his companion.

"Taken hostage?" John mused aloud. "That doesn't sound good."

No, it did not. They would have to go to New Jersey somehow.

tbc…


	20. Found

**Santa ****Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU**

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU . I'm making no money out of this whatsoever. Don't sue me, I have no money.

**20**

**Found**

Cornwell's piercing, terrified scream followed instantaneously, but was drowned by a pile of snow that dropped from the branches of the treetop spreading above him. Olivia had shot at the tree because she could not risk hitting someone or something with the stray bullet.

The rapist looked like _Frosty_ with the thick cover of snow and was shaking his upper body to get rid of the cold mass. Some of the snow slipped under his clothes and he was dancing on the spot in a futile attempt to avoid the coldness.

Olivia and Buster laughed.

"You bitch! You just shot at me!" Cornwell yelled. "I'll sue you!"

"I'm so sorry," Olivia said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "It was an accident."

Grimacing with fury, Cornwell ran to tackle her, but Olivia sidestepped, letting him run into empty space, taking away a bit of his momentum with a well aimed blow to his neck. They heard the butt of her weapon connect with his skull and he went down in the snow face forward. Screaming again he rolled on his back, kicking at her when she bowed to help him up. Olivia answered his attack with kicks of her own and hit him hard a few times before he stopped. He would be bruised badly, but it was nothing life threatening.

"Get up and go!" Olivia ordered him. "Keep moving."

Looking back over her shoulder, she checked if Buster was following.

While Cornwell was trotting along he grumbled unintelligibly under his breath.

"Yeah, swear as much as you like," Olivia taunted. "You won't have anything to laugh when you're in Otisville."

That made Cornwell shoot a death glare over his shoulder at the detective.

"Otisville? Why'd you think I'd go there?"

"Because," she paused for effect, "you committed a federal crime."

Cornwell laughed out loud. "I did what?" he chuckled.

"You crossed state lines with kidnap victims," she explained. "That moves your actions from a state to a federal crime. Not only will New York be prosecuting you for the rape of Patricia Rawlins, but the U.S. Government will go after you on the kidnapping charges."

That left him speechless. He was gasping for breath but then he turned and trudged on.

Olivia turned to Buster every so often to check on him. His face testified to the exertion it required to carry Elliot.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"No."

"Perhaps I can." Elliot stirred. Even though he was exhausted and in pain he also felt humiliated by having to be carried. "Let me down."

"You sure?" Buster slightly swayed himself but released him only reluctantly.

Elliot chuckled. "No, not really. I'll try anyway… if you help me."

Immediately Olivia was at his side.

"You should be careful with Paul," Buster murmured. "I'll help your partner."

She glanced at the man who had brought them all into this situation. His stance appeared less arrogant. Still she wished she could just wipe that smug grin off his face. Maybe Elliot would have done that if he had beeh in her place and had not been injured. Swallowing her anger she turned back to Elliot and Buster.

Suddenly Elliot laughed out loud, "More than eight million people in a single city and we are as lonely as we would be in the middle of the Rockies."

Everyone stared at him incredulously.

"What?! Don't you think that's funny?" he asked between hiccups of laughter. His ribs hurt but he could not stop laughing.

"No," Olivia and Buster said at the same time.

Elliot shrugged and regretted it at once as his left shoulder protested against the movement. He panted.

"Your own fault," Olivia snapped but her compassionate expression belied her turn of phrase. "Now, come on."

She offered her shoulder as support, still threatening Cornwell with her gun. Elliot tried to lean on her, too, but it did not really work. After all, it was easier to walk just with Buster.

At a snail's pace they were closing in on the golf club when Elliot stopped. He turned his head to look over his shoulder. Now the others heard it, too. A motor. From the distance a pair of headlights drew nearer and soon dipped them into its light.

No one missed the sigh of relief Olivia gave at the more than welcome sight. Then a cinder truck stopped right in front of them and her heart leapt. It had a big snowplow blade with which it made its way through the drifts, shoving them away.

The driver opened the door and got out of the vehicle. In his hand he held a crowbar.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked, sounding not only demanding but suspicious, too. "Is everything okay?"

Olivia flashed her badge. "Detective Olivia Benson, NYPD's special victims unit," she introduced herself. "We had an accident. Can you help us to get to the nearest hospital? My partner is injured."

Meanwhile a second man also had left the truck. In addition to the headlights he held up a flashlight when he approached her. He eyed her badge with care and gave his partner a sign. Both lowered their hands.

"What about him?" one pointed at Cornwell when they noticed the cuffs.

"We arrested him. Can you help us, please?"

"Of course. Brian, how will we do this? We can't get six people into the cab. Why don't I walk with this guy and you send us a patrol car?"

Slowly his partner nodded. "Yeah, Kevin" he confirmed. "That would be best. We'll take them to the clubhouse and call the police. They can wait comfortably there. Who's the other guy?"

"A witness," Elliot said before anyone could say anything different. "He helped us."

"Okay, guys. Jump in."

"You'll leave me here?" Cornwell yelled. "She beat me! See the bruises?! I need a doctor, too!"

Kevin shone his light on him and had only a glance at his _injuries_.

"No emergency," he stated.

"Okay," Brian said, addressing Elliot. "Two of you should fit in there, so you'll go together with…"

"Buster," Olivia threw in. "I'll walk with you," she turned to the other man. "I don't want to tempt him to misbehave."

So Brian and Buster helped Elliot climb into the snowplow's cabin. Kevin sat in the driver's seat and started the engine. Slowly they took off.

It was comfortably warm inside of the snowplow. While Buster squeezed between the seats, Elliot leaned in the passenger's seat. Soon they reached the clubhouse of Montammy Golf Club where Kevin and Buster cautiously helped Elliot down and into the house. Only a few people were there and one of them guided them into the lounge where Elliot settled down on a large leather couch.

"You must be cold. Do you want something hot to drink? Blankets?" the man who showed them in asked.

"Blankets would be good," Buster agreed. "I don't know about a drink for him." He eyed Elliot intently who shook his head.

"Okay, I'll get some covers and call for an ambulance," the man said and hurried out.

When Olivia arrived not much later she found Buster and her partner in the lounge, comfortably packed under thick layers on the couch and in an easy chair. Kevin waited with Elliot, talking with him.

Olivia thanked him and sat down on the edge of the sofa.

"Hey, El," she whispered. "How do you feel?"

"Warm at last," he replied. "Guy said a chopper would come. Where's Cornwell?"

"I cuffed him to a banister in the hall. How are your ribs?"

"They hurt." He looked away for a moment. When he searched her view again, he smiled sheepishly. "Liv? Could you… I mean, I would like you to…"

"What is it, El? You can tell me." Reassuringly she stroked his forearm.

"I feel… I mean… what I want to say is…" A light blush crept in his cheeks. "Could you… sit with me? Like you did in the van?"

Olivia almost would have chuckled. His request amused her, but she also felt a bit embarrassed. It was not her place to comfort him like this, not here, anyway. But he looked at her pleadingly and so she caved in.

With some effort he made room for her and then Olivia leaned into the corner of the couch, cradling her partner in her arms, who stretched his legs out on the upholstery. He cuddled up to her, a small smile on his lips.

"I'm so tired, Liv," he mumbled. "I… I just want to…"

"What is it, honey?"

"I just want to sleep… but… you'd shout at me again when I'm falling asleep because you're afraid I could be unconscious. But I'd be just sleeping, okay."

Olivia hugged him tighter. She could hear that he already sounded sleepy and was not the least bit surprised. She felt him relax against her.

"You understand why I'm worrying, don't you? You're hurt and it's better to keep you awake and alert."

"I know," he murmured so softly that she barely heard him.

"Okay. I won't keep you awake," she said. "The ambulance will be here soon. You can rest until it arrives." _I want to sleep, too._ _Desperately_, she thought. _But I'll watch over you_ Her soft crooning lulled him to sleep in less than a minute.

tbc…


	21. Who's to blame?

**Santa ****Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU**

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU . I'm making no money out of this whatsoever. Don't sue me, I have no money.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. :D 

**21**

**Who's to blame?**

Leaving Riverside Church, Fin took out the cell phone again. He just flipped it open when it rang. "Yeah?"

"Cragen here," his captain's voice greeted him. "You found anything out?"

"These freaks have taken them hostage, Cap," Fin told him. "They wanted to go to New Jersey. Do you have something new?"

"Yeah. I'm on my way to Bellevue hospital. Olivia has called from a golf club over there in New Jersey."

Fin gasped. "Really? Where are they? Are they okay?"

John looked at him questioningly when he heard his partner ask these questions. Fin gestured him to remain silent for a moment.

"She told me that a chopper was taking them to the hospital to be checked out," Cragen told him. "She says she's fine, but she's not entirely sure how badly Elliot is hurt. I'm going straight there. Where are you two now?"

"Just outside Riverside Church," Fin said.

"Okay. If you're finished up there you can come back. I'll call as soon as I know more," Cragen said and ended the call.

"So, where are they?" John asked impatiently when Fin closed the phone, clearly worried for Elliot and Olivia.

"On their way to Bellevue hospital. The captain will meet them there. Let's try to get a ride downtown, too."

"Are they okay?"

"I guess Olivia is, but Elliot's not. They're not sure how bad it is. That's why they're taking them to the hospital. We have to wait for the next call… or see for ourselves."

xxx

Olivia sat in a chair next to his bed and watched Elliot closely. He was resting, tired, his eyes closed, but too agitated by the examinations and treatments that the hospital's staff had put him through to fall asleep.

She let her view wander, across his bed to Buster who sat in an easy chair next to the window. He could not sleep either, thinking too hard about what had happened and what he would, or could, do next.

_He was lucky_, Olivia recalled her conversation with the doctor. _There is no frostbite which could threaten a loss of fingers or toes or even a whole limb. He's got a flesh wound on his left thigh as well as a torn meniscus. It will require surgery but he will be back on his feet in a few days. The left side is badly bruised, which causes very bad pain, but there's no really dangerous internal injury. His left shoulder joint must have been threatened by dislocation and therefore was badly overstretched, but it was still in place when we examined it._

_Very painful but not life threatening_, Olivia thought. _I just wonder how he could walk, even with Buster's help._ Her own wrists were adorned with thick bandages. She held his hand, offering comfort and security, and drew a similar feeling from the knowledge that he would be all right, too.

Elliot opened his eyes, scanning the room for the young man.

"Buster," he said. "We need to talk."

Olivia was surprised but curious. What did her partner want to talk to him about?

"What about?" Buster wanted to know.

"About the rape." Elliot eyed the guy carefully. "Tell me what happened."

Buster stood up and came closer. He looked embarrassed, his view fixed to the floor, and took his time. He did not refuse to answer, he just thought about what to say.

"Well, Paul and some of his buddies left to look for some girls. He told us that he wanted to have fun and until then he often found playmates who were ready to join in the games Paul and the others wanted to play. I participated twice and each time it turned out to be some kind of orgy."

He took a moment to choose his words carefully. "That evening… When they returned the others met them at the van. Some came out, others climbed in… I could not see what happened and the others didn't tell me."

Once more he hesitated. "When I finally came near the sliding door I heard her scream. It sounded different from the cries I knew. It sounded scared, tormented. When I could look inside I saw them forcing themselves on her."

Now he looked to the window. His voice became even softer. "I should have tried to help her, but I was scared, too. I should have run and called for help, but I could not move. Right then I did not know what to do… I feel so ashamed now."

"Why did you go with them last night?" Elliot asked. "Why did you help them when they followed us?"

Buster shrugged. "I can't tell. I helped to get you out of the car because I still thought that he just wanted to get away. Give you a black eye and leave you alone. When he beat you down so badly and told us to get you into the van, I was petrified… and paralyzed. I was torn between running and calling for help or staying and seeing what I could do."

For a long time Elliot just stared at him. Finally, when the detective remained silent, Buster returned to his seat. Thoughtfully he looked outside in the fading night.

"You will testify at court," Elliot said. It was a statement, not a question.

Buster looked at him. At first he seemed to be skeptical but then it faded away from his features and he nodded. "Yes, I will. It's time to break with them."

Elliot nodded, too. Then he turned to face Olivia. She confirmed it with a nod of her own.

"Can you give me my coat?" he demanded.

She stood and went to get it. He was searching the pockets, but could not find what he was looking for. "And my jacket?"

She gave it to him. He was unsuccessful again.

"Must be here…" he mumbled. "Somewhere."

"What do you want? I could look for it, too," Olivia offered.

"Perhaps it's in the other coat."

"What is it?"

He looked at her almost guiltily. "My rosary," he finally replied. "I must have lost it crawling out of the van."

Olivia stared at him in disbelief.

"What?" he said. "Do you have a problem?"

"No," she exclaimed hastily. "I knew you're practicing but…" Her voice trailed off.

"Surprised that I actually have one?" His annoyed expression quickly changed into a broad grin. "Does that embarrass you?"

She thought about that before she shook her head. "No."

He chuckled. "Damned agnostics," he grumbled, but the twinkle in his eyes belied his profanity.

Settling back in the bed he tried to relax again. She sat down and grabbed his hand. Gently stroking the back of it with her thumb, she was not even aware that she hummed a simple melody.

Suddenly Buster jumped up from his perch. "I'll go get something to drink," he said. "Do you want something, Detective?"

"No, I'm fine," Olivia said. "Elliot?"

His eyes still closed he slightly shook his head.

"I'll be right back," Buster said and left the room.

A few minutes went by in silence and Olivia was convinced that Elliot was asleep when he squeezed her hand. When she looked up and met his sapphire blue eyes something in his look made her catch her breath. Something was troubling him.

"What is it, Elliot?" she asked. "You can tell me."

"I… I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"You're sorry? For what?" she asked back, puzzled. He seemed to be genuinely upset and she wondered what the heck was wrong with him.

"I… well, I… failed you."

"Elliot," she gasped. "What do you mean? You never failed me! How can you say that?"

"It's true. I should have protected you, but I couldn't. I don't even… remember everything… that happened."

"Because you were unconscious," Olivia replied matter-of-factly.

"Tell me. What did he do to you?"

"Why do you think that he did something to me, Elliot?" She did not like where this conversation was heading. He was hurting enough. He did not need to torture himself, too.

"Because he's a rapist. Because he molested you verbally." He swallowed, looking away, unable to hold her gaze now. "And… I can't remember. There's still… something missing."

"You shouldn't worry about that, Elliot," she assured him, squeezing his hand in return. "Your memory will come back and you'll realize that nothing has happened that justifies you worrying so much and torturing yourself about."

"Tell me, Olivia," he pleaded with her. "I may not remember, but I feel that there was something. What did he do?"

Watching his growing agitation, she decided to tell him the truth.

"Just before the crash he tried to rape me," she admitted.

"No!" he gasped and winced with the pain it caused his ribs.

"Elliot, no," she hurried, reaching out for his shoulders to gently urge him to rest. "The accent is on _tried_," she said. "He opened my pants and pushed them down, but that was when the van skidded and crashed. He never got a chance to do more."

"And then?" he asked, his voice shaking.

"And then we were stuck in that van." She smirked. "And he was the one in cuffs when he came to again. You remember that, right?"

Elliot nodded hesitantly.

"Good." She favored him with a broad smile as he gradually accepted what she said. "Besides, if one of us let down the other then it would be me. I was conscious and alert after the accident, but I could not defend us. When they pulled me out of the car I thought they wanted to help. Only when they beat me I realized that they didn't. I failed to protect you."

Raising her hands defensively when he took a deep breath to contradict her, she stopped him and a smirk cracked her features.

"We're even, okay. It's no one's fault but Cornwell's. Right?"

"Right," he mumbled but looked only halfway convinced.

Olivia chuckled. "It was not _that_ difficult to admit, was it?"

"You know, Olivia, I should have…" This time he ignored her defensive gesture. "It's my responsibility to keep you safe. As I'm…"

"Whoa, Elliot!" she interrupted. "If you wanna give me that shit about me being a woman and you being a man, I would hold my tongue if I were you. Because that would make me want to hit you."

"Actually I wanted to say that I'm senior partner," he replied sheepishly.

"It's our responsibility to look out for each other. If you really want to blame someone, you should blame the both of us." She shook her head. "He did not really hurt me. You're worse off than I am. So I'm the one who…"

"No, you're not," he said and swallowed whatever else he had wanted to say when he saw her smirk. He had just trapped himself. "Okay!" he caved in. "It's Cornwell's fault."

"Good."

He settled back into the pillow and she made herself comfortable in the chair. When Buster came back he returned to his seat by the window. They finally relaxed and soon all three of them were fast asleep.

tbc…


	22. Actions and consequences

**Santa ****Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU**

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU . I'm making no money out of this whatsoever. Don't sue me, I have no money.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. :D And thanks for your faith. I hope I can keep up with the expectations… LOL

**22**

**Actions and consequences**

Captain Don Cragen was the first who stepped in and stood there for a moment, frozen by the sight.

"Hey, Captain," John said. "What…?"

Cragen hushed him with a gesture, watching his detectives silently.

They both were fast asleep, Elliot lying on his back in the bed, Olivia sitting in the chair next to him. She held his hand with her right hand, her left arm was draped over his pillow, her hand resting on top of his head and her upper body beside his. They looked peaceful.

"Cute," John said. "Do you have a camera?"

"No," Fin chuckled. "Who's this?" he pointed at the easy chair near the window.

"Doesn't your cell phone…?"

"They would kill us!" Fin replied but got it out nevertheless. Before Cragen could hold him back, he had taken two shots.

"They _will_ kill you," the captain said.

"As long as they don't know it…" Fin remained unimpressed.

Cragen rolled his eyes at the immaturity of his other detectives. He stepped beside the bed and laid a hand on Olivia's shoulder.

"Olivia?" he said. "Hello, Olivia."

She stirred and was startled awake. When she looked up, she gasped.

"Captain!" A smile cracked her face. "What are you doing here? Where did you come from?" Her gaze fell behind him. "Fin, John. It's so good to see you."

"It's so good to see you two," Fin replied. "We thought you were trying to turn into a couple of snow people."

"We tried but Frosty was afraid of the competition," Elliot returned the teasing. Until then no one had noticed he was awake, too. "So he told us to stay with the police."

"How do you feel, Elliot?" Cragen asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

Elliot frowned at first. _Like I've been run through a meat grinder_, he thought, _stupid question._ But his captain earned an earnest answer.

"Warm at last," he finally replied. "And tired. Everything else will hurt for a while, but there's nothing that won't heal soon."

"And you, Olivia?" Fin asked.

"I'm fine, Fin. Thanks."

The relief everyone felt was palpable.

"And who are you?" Fin addressed the young man who was also awake by now.

"Buster helped us overpower Cornwell and escape the overturned van we were trapped in," Elliot explained.

"You participated in the abduction of my detectives?" Cragen demanded to know.

Again Elliot spoke before Buster could even open his mouth.

"When he joined the others he thought that they wanted to help us out of the crashed car after they shoved us off the street into Riverside Park, but when he realized what Cornwell was about to do, he decided to play along with him to observe and try and help when an opportunity presented itself." He exchanged glances with Olivia who nodded her consent.

Buster was astonished.

"He will testify against Cornwell and several other perpetrators in the case of the gang rape as well as in the abduction," Elliot continued. "I'm sure we can make a deal with the ADA."

"Is that true, son?" Cragen addressed Buster again.

The young man could only nod once. He stared at Elliot and Olivia in disbelief. "Yeah," he finally found his speech again. "Yeah, that's right. I'll tell you who raped the poor girl and how Cornwell took your detectives hostage."

"Okay." Cragen said thoughtfully and looked at the three suspiciously. "So, get some rest. You'll have to be fit for Christmas."

He gave Olivia and Elliot a fatherly smile. With a tilt of his head he gestured Fin and John to accompany him when he left.

"Make sure you'll delete the damned photos, Fin," Elliot shouted.

Under the doorframe Fin turned to him again. His brown skin became darker, a sign that he blushed.

xxx

When Olivia and Elliot met Alex Cabot at her office the Friday of the following week the assistant district attorney was in a good mood.

"You're looking good, Elliot," she greeted him, but eyed him a bit skeptically. "Are you already back on duty?"

"Yeah," he grumbled. "Riding a desk. I'm only here because I have to attend a trial today."

Alex smirked. "And where would you otherwise be?" she teased. "At a ski resort?"

Both detectives laughed about that.

"Yes and no..." Elliot replied. "We plan to go to the Catskills for a long weekend. The kids can go skiing during the day while Kathy and I hang around the lodge."

"Hang around, huh?" Olivia teased. She was quite sure that the only things that would _hang around_ there would be their shed clothes.

Elliot grimaced. "And why are you in such a good mood?" he asked.

"Lorna Scarry won custody for Patty's father," she explained.

"That's good news!" Olivia's mood lightened up, too.

"Yes. Patty's all excited that she can go home to him. He will help her through her testimony and we also found a good psychiatrist for her."

"That's really great. I'm so happy for her."

That was when Buster and his lawyer arrived. They were talking for a while and then Alex said, "As far as I can see, your offer is quite extensive, Mr. Dickson," Alex addressed Buster after she had heard his statement once again. She had already questioned him last week as soon as the streets had been passable again. "I'm trying to weigh that against the charges you are facing. Obstruction of justice in the rape case, four counts of assault on a police officer, destruction of city property and the FBI will want to charge you with two counts of accessory to kidnapping. If you were to serve those sentences consecutively, you would die of old age in prison."

"But I…" Buster blanched. All color drained from his face and his hands started to shake.

"Fortunately for you," she spoke over him, "the good detectives believe your story that it was your intent to help them, at least after you forced Detective Stabler out of the car at gunpoint and held him for Paul Cornwell's beating, and at their behest I have convinced the FBI to release you to the State of New York for the accessory to kidnapping charges."

"So, what does that mean?" Buster asked nervously.

The tall blonde smiled at him, but it was more frightening than reassuring. "That means you're alllllllll mine," she said.

"And what… what are you… g…going to do to me?"

She glanced down at the file. If he had not been so nervous, Buster might have noticed that the detectives were trying to hide grins and he might have realized that his own attorney was simply sitting beside him smirking instead of arguing with the ADA as he should have been, but all he could focus on was the apparently cold-blooded lawyer who held the rest of his life in the palm of her hand.

"Well, my boss, the Manhattan District Attorney, wants someone to hang for these crimes, not just against little Patricia Rawlins, but also against our detectives. However, since they can testify that you were not behind the wheel of the van when it forced them off the road, I can drop the destruction of city property charges."

"Th…that doesn't sound like much," Buster said, trying not to sound like he was complaining. The last thing he wanted to do in the world right now was annoy this woman.

"It's not," she said, "So you are very fortunate that detectives Benson and Stabler are declining to press the assault charges."

"Wh…what about the other two things?" Buster asked.

She pursed her lips thoughtfully and then told him brusquely, "The obstruction of justice and accessory to kidnapping charges are not going to go away, Mr. Dickson."

Buster was trying very hard not to cry. He had known all along that Paul Cornwell and his friends were bad news and he should have stayed away from them, but once he had gotten accepted into the group, it was like a drug. He had felt as if he could do anything, get away with anything, when he was with them. Until he had heard Patty Rawlins crying in the van. Then when they had attacked the police, he knew he had gone too far. Now he deserved whatever he got and he had no right to feel sorry for himself, only for those whom he had hurt. Still, he dreaded the thought of going to jail. On his own, he was not nearly as tough as he had felt with Cornwell's gang, and he knew he would suffer greatly in prison.

When the silence stretched out too long, he finally had to ask. "So, what are you going to do to me?"

The blonde looked up from the file and pierced him with a hard stare and said, "If you allocute to what you have done... the obstruction, assault, and kidnapping, I will recommend the minimum sentence of ten years for the kidnapping be suspended in favor of eight and a half years' probation, which is how long it would be before you would be eligible for parole if you were charged for the assaults and the kidnapping, and I will drop the obstruction of justice charge since you eventually did come forward."

She gave a little smirk and leaned towards him. "Merry Christmas, Mr. Dickson."

"I… wha… does that mean I won't go to jail?"

"As long as you stay out of trouble and report to your probation officer as scheduled, yes," she said.

Buster grinned, and with a relieved sigh, he said, "Thank you!"

Finally his lawyer spoke up. "If he's not being charged with any of the assaults, then why do you want him to implicate himself at the hearing, Alex?"

"Because if Mr. Dickson fails to learn his lesson from this, I want it on the record so we can use it in court to get a stiffer sentence next time he gets in trouble."

"Oh, there won't be a next time, Ma'am, I promise."

Alex smiled. "That's good, but if you call me _Ma'am_ again, I am liable to change my mind."

"Then I want his deal to include immunity from prosecution for the assault charges, Alex," the lawyer said. "I trust you to honor the spirit of the agreement, but if it isn't spelled out clearly that he is not being held criminally liable for the assaults, I can't be sure that some ambitious junior ADA won't dredge them up weeks or months down the road to win a slam dunk by circumventing the Fifth Amendment and convicting him with his own sworn testimony about his involvement."

Alex nodded. "I'll make sure that immunity on the assaults is included in the final agreement," she promised easily.

Buster sat at the table, silent, thinking. His gaze rested on the tabletop.

Alex waited a moment. "Mr. Dickson?"

He lifted his view to face her. "Yes?"

"Did you understand what I said?"

"Yes."

"Do you have questions?"

Once more he remained silent. "What's going to happen with Paul?"

Elliot exchanged glances with Olivia, silently saying, _he won't back out, will he_.

"He will face three separate trials: One for the rape of Patty Rawlins, one for three counts of assault with a deadly weapon against a police officer, that would be two for using the car to run Detectives Benson and Stabler off the road and one for using the gun to control Detective Stabler, two counts of simple assault against a police officer for the beatings of both detectives Benson and Stabler, and one count for the attempted rape of Detective Benson; and a third, federal trial for the kidnapping because he crossed state lines into New Jersey."

Slowly Buster nodded. Still, he was very silent. His lawyer watched him closely as well as the detectives and Alex.

"Is he facing a life-sentence?" he finally asked.

"As likely as not."

That made him think hard once more. "Where do I have to sign?" he then asked.

Alex made the requested changes in the plea agreement and reviewed the document with Buster's lawyer. Once he approved it, he handed it over to Buster to sign, then shaking hands politely the two lawyers said goodbye to each other and the defense attorney left. Thanking her once more, Buster said goodbye to Alex, too, and followed him out, the detectives joining him. Out in the hall they were standing together for a moment, awkwardly.

"I don't know where to begin to thank you," he finally said. "You did so much for me. No one ever did so much for me. I'm so grateful."

"We have to thank you, Buster," Elliot replied. "If it hadn't been for you we would most likely be dead."

"You would have found a way…"

"No, kid," Olivia cut him short. "Elliot's right. I wouldn't have been able to support him the same way you did and guard Cornwell, too. And I wouldn't have left him. So we would be frozen to death out there."

The young man blushed.

"No need to be modest," Elliot said. "You can be proud of yourself. We are."

Now he blushed even deeper, but he smiled anyway.

"Thank you again." He handed each one of them a card. "I'm joining this organization to help victims. That's how you changed me. And if I ever should stray from my way again…"

"…we'll come and kick your ass," Olivia teased.

"You can bet we will," Elliot confirmed, grinning mischievously. "Well, as soon as I can…"

That made them laugh.

"Thanks for that, too." Now Buster returned the grin. "I can't afford a big dinner, but how about hotdogs?"

"Hotdogs would be great," Elliot said while Olivia nodded cheerfully.

"Okay, then I'll buy you dinner."

Side by side they went out to the nearest hotdog-seller.

tbc…


	23. A Santa's coming

**Santa ****Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU**

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU . I'm making no money out of this whatsoever. Don't sue me, I have no money.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. :D Now it's time to have some fun:D

**23**

**A Santa's ****coming**

Over the entrance to the SVU bullpen hung illuminated fir branches and holly, decorated with silvery ornaments and cones. Inside of the squad room, a big Christmas tree squeezed into a corner and stretched its branches over half of John's desk. Two other desks were decorated and filled with all kinds of specialties to serve as buffet.

It was the obligatory Christmas party of the squad. Almost every clerk and officer was gathered in the middle of the room, together with their wives or friends, some with their children, too. One of the clerks played guitar, accompanied by a colleague who sang _Rudolph_. Some folks joined the chorus.

Bells jingled outside the squad room door. They became louder as someone came trampling towards the bullpen.

"Ho, ho, ho!" shouted Santa Claus as he burst through the door. "Meeer-ry Christmas!"

He was tall with a big belly under the red, white trimmed coat, and long white beard. Dark eyes sparkled from out under the hood. Behind him on a handcart sat a big brown sack.

"Ho, ho, ho," he yelled again, waving with the bell that called everyone to become silent. "As I can see, everybody's waiting for me. That's real fine. And I also see milk and cookies standing over there on the buffet… my favorites!"

Someone could not help his giggles.

"It's always a very special pleasure for me to come to New York's Finest! You're doing an extraordinary fine job down here. I'm proud of all of you."

He sat his bell on one of the desks and reached into his coat pocket to pick out a paper. With big gestures he unfolded it, theatrically placed glasses on his nose and read with the head held high, squinting down under raised eyebrows.

"We have several children here, too," he said and stuffed the paper back into the pocket. "Will you come to me?"

The older kids were the first to join the Santa, while some of the younger ones needed persuasion. Among the group also were Maureen, Kathleen, Elizabeth, and Dickie Stabler.

"Hello, kids," the Santa said. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you. There's not a single one on my list who has not been good over the year. Well, there may be one or another who could do a bit more in school…" he dropped his voice and squinted over the upper rim of his glasses, letting his view wander over the group, "…or could help at home… But you all have earned a decent surprise."

With that he made a few steps back, behind the handcart, and opened the knot on the rope that held the sack closed. There was a gift box and stocking inside for each of the kids. While the gift box held a paperback book according to age (red boxes for the younger kids, green for the older) a sketch book and crayons, the stockings were filled with peanuts, tangerines and chocolate cookies.

"Here you go," the Santa said when he gave the last parcel to Dickie Stabler.

"Thank you, Santa," he replied, with a grin that threatened to split his face. His eyes sparkled like his father's.

Some of the grown-ups laughed as they recognized the similarity. The kids left to unwrap their presents. Just a few moments later they were bartering the books.

"So, there still are many names on my list," Santa shouted as some people wanted to turn and leave. "My sack is still full."

He fiddled with his belt and removed it. Some folks gasped. Olivia and Elliot exchanged foreseeing glances… they were almost sure.

"No!" they yelled as the Santa opened his coat…

...to reveal a second one.

"It's still very, very cold outside. So I had to wear two coats. But you have it comfortably warm here."

Most of the officers laughed. Three of them clapped their hands and almost laughed their heads off as they watched Olivia and Elliot flush. John, Fin and Don knew all-too-well who hid under the Santa costume.

"One of these three must have hired Mr. Bradley," Olivia whispered into Elliot's ear. "Funny, isn't it?"

"Yeah, really funny," he whispered back and glared at them.

"As I have a special relationship to this unit," the Santa continued, "I'd like to sing you my version of an old Christmas classic."

Without being encouraged further he started to sing, but when it became obvious that he had turned _Jingle Bells_ into a song about the special victims unit, he was stopped by hoots and yells of the squad.

"What's wrong?!" he chuckled. "You should hear the adult version! But I can't sing that as long as the kids are here, too."

Mr. Bradley smirked. He turned back to his sack and started distributing presents. Calling every single member of the squad to him he handed out the parcels. Whoever hired the Santa gave him the presents the cops usually exchanged by picking a colleague's name out of a box.

"I'm not sure if I'm pronouncing this correctly… Odafin Tutuola." Expectantly he surveyed the crowd.

Fin passed a group and went to the Santa to receive a big parcel, wrapped in brown package paper. Unceremoniously he ripped it open… to reveal a pair of scarlet boots in Scandinavian style. He frowned and scanned the room for his partner. Beneath the boots he also found two DVDs. "That's okay," he said but put the boots on nevertheless.

"John Munch?" the Santa shouted. "Where is John?"

"I'm here," he replied and stepped forward. Even if this was not his tradition he participated because he did not want to be a party pooper. He could live with the exchange of gifts. There were two parcels bound together. When John unwrapped the smaller one he found a… plastic violin and a foam pipe. "Very funny," he grumbled. "Thanks, Fin."

"You're welcome, Sherlock," Fin teased from behind the crowd.

In the bigger box were a lot of Styrofoam chips and a thick book:_ UFOs, JFK, and Elvis: Conspiracies You Don't Have to Be Crazy to Believe, by Richard Belzer_. "And I almost bought this. Thanks for stopping me, Olivia."

She nodded at him, grinning.

"Why do you encourage him?" Fin demanded to know. "You know he's going to have to tell us about everything in there!"

"I'm not responsible," she said. "I just gave a hint to the one who got his name."

The Santa continued with Alex Cabot.

Unwrapping her present she revealed a pretty frame with a drawing inside, showing Alex as a modern Lady Justice, her eyes sparkling, her expression determined, scales and sword in her hands. It was signed by Patricia Rawlins.

Tears immediately shot into Alex's eyes. _Why did she choose this way to give it to me?_ she wondered. _I'll have to go visit her…_

"Alex?" she then heard a hesitant voice from behind. Turning around she discovered the girl standing in the entrance, her father beside her. With a few steps Alex crossed the distance and pulled Patty into a hug. Only when she felt her tense up she realized that she should not have done that, but then the girl's arms wrapped around her, returning the embrace.

"I can't stay," Patty whispered when they parted. "It's too much for me. All those people… but I had to see you when you got the picture."

"It's incredible, Patricia," Alex said, her voice hoarse with emotion. "_You_ are amazing."

Patty blushed, then she squeezed Alex's hand and said goodbye.

Now the Santa called more people up to him until he came to Don Cragen and the captain stepped forward.

"Don," the Santa said. "You have a great bunch of detectives under your command. Yet, it certainly is not easy to control them. You have to be admired for your ability to keep the squad going on maximum level. Everyone wishes you Merry Christmas."

With that he gave him a really big package.

tbc…


	24. In the Christmas mood

**Santa ****Clauses Are Coming To Town**

**LO:SVU**

_Disclaimer_: I do not own the characters of LO:SVU . I'm making no money out of this whatsoever. Don't sue me, I have no money.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. :D 

**24**

**Christmas Mood**

Don hesitated taking it, but he had no other choice as the Santa released his grip. So he grabbed it preventing it from falling. Unwrapping it he revealed a wooden helm as well as a nautical captain's hat. In the middle of the helm sat an engraved plate reading:

_To our Captain_

_who is steering our ship safely_

_through the rough sea of our duty._

_Our deep__est respect._

_Your squad_.

Don had to swallow. "Thanks…" was all he could voice. He put the hat on and held the helm up to show it to everyone before he went for his office.

"That was a great idea," someone whispered to John. "He was really touched." Several others nodded.

"Okay," the Santa announced. "Now we come to one of the rare ladies, Detective Olivia Benson."

Olivia went to meet the Santa. To her surprise he wrapped his arms around her to hug her. "Mr. Bradley?" she murmured. He giggled in response before he released her and dove deep into the sack to get her gift.

"This is for you, honey," he said and winked at her.

"Thank you, Santa," she replied and made a mock curtsey. Then she tore the wrapping open. Two hardcover copies from her favorite series of books appeared. Between them was an envelope, and when she opened it, she paled. She did not hear the Santa continuing. Frantically she searched for Elliot. When she found him, she pulled him aside and showed him what she got.

"No," he murmured.

"Obviously, yes," she whispered back.

"He's dead." Elliot eyed the two identical photos with a deep frown. _One for each of you_, was written on the envelope. "I'll kill him."

"No, I will."

"Let's do it together." They were searching for Fin, but he had vanished.

"Well, last but not least here is a parcel for a Detective Elliot Stabler." Santa declared and looked around searching. The detective went to him.

"Oh, here you are. But first... As I already told the kids to show a bit more discipline, I can only say that their parents should go ahead with a good example. Merry Christmas to you, Elliot."

Elliot flushed even though he accepted this remark as a joke.

A small bag was attached to his parcel. He opened the wrapping first and found a sampler titled _All time jazz_ with ten CDs. A glance at the titles confirmed that it was quite a special collection. He smiled.

When he picked up the pouch he had a suspicion what the content could possibly be. Elliot fiddled open the ribbon and reached inside. He could feel a number of small pearls, all on a string as he noticed. Without having a look at it he knew what it was and who gave it to him. His gaze searched for Olivia. When their eyes met, she smiled genuinely at him and he returned it.

_Thank you_, his lips formed silently.

_You're welcome_, she mouthed equally silent and grinned. She could see the surprise and open incredulity in his eyes. And that he was really touched.

Don returned from his office.

"Now that we've all been given presents we shouldn't waste our time. All I can say is that I thank all of you for this surprise. It's sooo great. Thank you very much. Merry Christmas." He paused for effect before he declared, "And the buffet's open now."

Murmurs and shuffling started as the crowd headed for the buffet.

Olivia had just gotten a cup of punch and turned to return to her desk when she ran into Elliot who was trying to avoid just this encounter with an office clerk dressed like a Christmas elf. Everyone was cheering and they realized, that they met each other underneath the mistletoe.

His courteous smile changed into a mischievous grin whereas her grin turned into an embarrassed smile.

"Ki-iss, ki-iss," roared the crowd.

_How, in God's name, can there be such blue eyes?_ Olivia wondered when she looked up at her partner. Suddenly she felt drawn to him as she looked upon him as the undeniably attractive man he was. It lasted for about a split second, a moment born from the evening's good fellowship rather than any genuine amorous feeling. She knew he was forbidden ground and actually she felt nothing for him but a deep amicable love. They were partners and best friends, nothing more, nothing less.

_That's the wrong one,_ flashed through Elliot's mind when he felt the kiss-cheers hit him right into the heart, stirring the profound brotherly affection he felt for Olivia. Still he was grinning, but it turned awkward fast. He glanced at Kathy.

_A quick kiss on the forehead?_ he asked himself. _No! No way!_

_Why don't they notice that we can't do that?!_ Olivia thought, feeling more and more uneasy. _We should tell them._

That was when she felt grabbed around the waist and pulled into a hug by someone entering the office from behind her. This someone smacked a big fat kiss on her lips, then he grabbed for her partner, too.

Shocked silence fell over the squad room when the detective bent Elliot backwards, kissing him on the forehead. Then he pulled him upright again. Silent seconds passed, then the people roared with laughter as Mike Logan let go of a bewildered Elliot, grinning like a Christmas fool.

"I could not resist. I love mistletoe," he smirked, turning to the crowd. "Anyone else?"

No one felt like being kissed by Mike so they ignored him.

"Mike!" captain Cragen shouted, approaching him, but stopping short of the mistletoe. "What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to drop in, wish you merry Christmas, Don," Mike told his former captain.

"How's life at major case?" Cragen wanted to know.

"Stressful." Mike followed him to the buffet and helped himself to salad and meatballs.

"Wanna come to SVU?"

Mike raised his eyebrows at him and shook his head. "No, Don. Thanks."

Fin slapped Elliot hard on the shoulder. "Lucky man," he laughed at him. "At least you got the chance." Then he grinned at Olivia. "When do we meet under the mistletoe?"

"How about now?" she said, grabbed his arm and pulled him to her chest.

Olivia did not know exactly why she did it, but it seemed to be the best reaction in this instant. The whole crowd was cheering again as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the mouth.

"Thanks for rescuing me, Mike," Elliot said to his colleague.

Liv wondered what he meant, but was drawn away by Fin who required her attention.

"Oh, she'd be a prize... for any single guy who had the sense to appreciate her... but I've already found mine... and she's right here," he said as Kathy approached. "Mike Logan, this is my wife, Kathy. Kathy, Mike works in Major Case at One PP. Sometimes our paths cross on a case or at the courthouse."

When he now looked at Kathy and then down at his children a familiar warmth filled Elliot's heart. The love he felt for his family made him smile wholeheartedly. Putting one arm around Kathy's shoulders he pulled her closer and kissed her softly but passionately on the mouth.

"Whoooo," made the kids. "Should we stay with grandma tonight?" Elizabeth asked innocently.

Her parents stared at their youngest daughter in surprise. Elliot flushed again and Kathy grinned embarrassed. He leaned in on her. "Wouldn't be the worst idea," he whispered into his wife's ear and she giggled like a school girl.

"I can call her right now," she whispered back. Then they kissed again, soft, groping, exploring.

"Do you think Dad can wait that long?" Kathleen mused. "You heard what Santa said: He doesn't have any discipline…" The kids laughed.

_Yeah, that's right_. Inwardly Elliot sighed, deciding to ignore his daughter's remark_. Let's call her_…

When they finally split up and looked again at the scene under the mistletoe they were in time to see a very puzzled Don Cragen in the embrace of the Christmas elf.

"She's stopping at nothing," Kathy laughed out.

"We should shove John in her path," Elliot grinned. "Where is he?"

He looked around the squad room and found Fin and Olivia instead. They sat at his desk, drinking punch, and were absorbed in their conversation. Whatever Fin might have said, Olivia doubled over with laughter.

Kathy pushed him in the side and pointed to a far corner. He followed with his gaze and discovered John, with Alex Cabot right next to him, deep in conversation.

Elliot smiled. He opened his arms to invite his family to an embrace and hugged them all. Kathy whispered into Elizabeth's ear, "This would be a good opportunity."

Puzzled Elliot followed her with his eyes when she squirmed out of the group hug and tip toed over to where another colleague of her father had put up his keyboard. The detective nodded and let her climb on the chair in front of the instrument.

"What does she want to play?" Elliot asked his wife.

"Wait and listen," she replied.

Now the other kids followed their sister and stood behind her. They got out a few items they used as costumes, reindeer antlers they put on their heads and a red nose for Kathleen. Dickie put on old fashioned aviator's glasses. As soon as Lizzie played the first notes the squad room fell silent. Everyone was listening to them.

_Whirlybird, whirlybird, whirlybird, whirlybird_the girls started to sing and Kathleen threw in with a squeaky voice as if she would hold her nose closed, _Santa's coming in a whirlybird_

Then Dickie continued with the first verse,

_The news is out and I've been told_

_It__ came by wire from the great North Pole_

_And sure each boy and girl__y heard_

_Santa Claus has got a new whirlybird._

His sisters accompanied him for the first two lines of the chorus

_Santa's coming in a whirlybird_

_Christmas night in a whirlybird _which he finished alone with

_So if you're good and you don't goof_

_T__he whirlybird's gonna land on your roof._

Now the girls repeated their intro:

_Whirlybird, whirlybird, whirlybird, whirlybird_and with squeaky Rudolph's voice, _Santa's coming in a whirlybird._

They also had a tambourine as well as chimes and started to play them when the second verse again was Dickie's turn,

_He turned his reindeer out to graze_

_Donner and Blitzen were amazed_

_But Rudolph said with a happy shout:_

"_I'll go with Santa and help him out!"_

While they were singing the chorus Elliot took his time to watch them more closely. They looked so cute and he was very proud of them. He wondered who of them had had the idea to sing for the squad. Then they had to practice… _I never noticed anything. They know how to keep a secret._ A broad smile spread over his face, expressing his deep love for his children as well as his pride. He directed his attention on Dickie when he took a breath for the next verse,

_I know that it may sound absurd_

_Santa bringing toys in a whirlybird_

_But he's been checking with the U.S. Mail_

_And with a helicopter he can't fail_

_Santa's coming with a whirlybird_

_Christmas night in a whirlybird_

_So if you're good and you don't goof_

_T__he whirlybird's gonna land on your roof._

_Whirlybird, whirlybird, whirlybird, whirlybird_

_Santa's coming in a whirlybird_

Kathy leaned against her husband, enjoying his presence. She had been worried when she did not know where he was and scared when his colleagues did not know either. Now he was back home safe and sound and she marveled at his warmth.

_There's a bike for Mike and Mo_

_A__ talking doll for Jane and Joan_

_There'll be toys for every child_

_I__f you promise not to drive Mom and Daddy wild,_

_Santa's coming in a whirlybird_

_Christmas night in a whirlybird_

_So if you're good and you don't goof_

_T__he whirlybird's gonna land on your roof._

_Whirlybird, whirlybird, whirlybird, whirlybird_

Repeating the _whirlybird_ until Lizzie finished playing they sang lower and lower, fading to an end. Then the party guests burst out with applause, turning the kids crimson. They pulled the antlers down from their heads and timidly shook hands with the people who wanted to congratulate them on their successful performance.

"Dad?" Lizzie shouted. "Come here!"

When Elliot settled down beside her she nudged his side.

"Come on, Dad. Let's play together."

"What do you want to play?" Elliot wanted to know.

Bending over to him she whispered in his ear, making him smile. He nodded. Then Elizabeth started to play and slowly silence settled back over the bullpen.

They all listened to the girl playing one of, if not _the_ most famous Christmas carol. Most people's eyes grew wide when Elliot joined her to play four-handed. And their jaws dropped when he started to sing.

_I'm__ dreaming of a white Christmas,_

_J__ust like the ones I used to know_

_Where the treetops glisten and children listen_

_T__o hear sleigh bells in the snow_

Elliot tried not to look at the incredulous faces and the staring eyes. Even though he knew that he could sing well, he usually sang only in the shower or at church… or if he was in an ebullient mood… as he was now. His voice rang clear to the melody of the piano and after a short instrumental part he began the second verse,

_I'm__ dreaming of a white Christmas,_

_W__ith every Christmas card I write_

_May your days be merry and bright,_

_A__nd may all your Christmases be white_

When he now repeated the first verse Maureen and Kathy fell in with harmony vocals.

Olivia certainly was not the only one who felt chills run down her spine as she heard them sing. _How did it come that he sang totally off-key when we were singing to the radio?_ she wondered. _Wow! He's incredible!_

Glancing at Cragen she noticed that he obviously was impressed, too. They both knew that Elliot could raise his voice impressively in volume but they never had heard him use it for singing.

Relaxed by the Christmas mood Elliot got carried away by the music. His solo became more jazzy, more swinging and when he sang again everyone could hear the groove in his voice.

_I'm dreaming of a white __- White! _the kids threw in - _Christmas,_

_J__ust like the ones I used to know _

Suddenly Fin was at his side joining him. His deeper voice built a great base for Elliot's and together they continued in melody and harmony vocals,

**Where the treetops glisten and children listen**

**to hear sleigh bells in the snow**

Another short solo and they repeated the verse, Fin doing the throw-ins,

_I'm__ - __**I'm**__ - dreaming of a white - __**white**__ - Christmas,_

_J__ust like the ones I used to know - __**you used to knooow**_

_Where the treetops glisten and children listen_

_T__o hear - __**to hear**__ - sleigh bells in the snow - __**sleigh bells in the sno-ow**_

_I'm __- __**I'm**__ - dreaming of a white - __**white**__ - Christmas - __**whoahoaho**_

_W__ith every Christmas card I write - __**you got to wri-ite**_

**Ma****y your days be merry**_ and bright - __**may it be bright**_

_A__nd may _**all your Christmases be white**

By then almost everyone was clapping hands or snapping their fingers. As the relaxed atmosphere had caused Elliot to start this spontaneous concert he now relaxed his friends and colleagues and they happily grooved with him.

"C'mon, join in!" Fin addressed the kids and Kathy while Elliot and Lizzie were playing another lively solo. In the following verse they sang what he was singing, making it sound quite professional with the background choir.

_I'm__ - __**I'm**__ - dreaming of a white - __**white**__ - Christmas,_

_J__ust like the ones I used to know - __**you used to knooow**_

_Where the treetops glisten and children listen_

_T__o hear - __**to hear**__ - sleigh bells in the snow - __**sleigh bells in the sno-ow**_

_I'm __- __**I'm**__ - dreaming of a white - __**white**__ - Christmas - __**whoahoaho**_

_W__ith every Christmas card I write - __**you got to wri-ite**_

**May your days be merry**_ and bright - __**may it be bright**_

_A__nd may _**all your Christmases be white**

"C'mon, John," Fin grumbled and nudged his partner's side.

"Bah! Humbug!" he shouted, causing a break.

Instantly they all fell silent. With his stern expression he resembled Scrooge so much that they were actually scared.

And then a mischievous grin cracked John's features.

As if on cue Elliot fell in with another solo and with both verses he, Fin and their choir finished the song.

The applause was thunderous. For a moment Elliot was tempted to flee, but then he nudged his daughter and together they started to play another song everyone recognized at once and when one round was finished Alex Cabot and Don Cragen were the first who started to sing,

_Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to min__d?_

_Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and days of auld lang syne?_

the others joining in one after the other until everyone was singing, no matter if they sang in tune or off-key,

_For auld lang syne my dear, for auld lang syne,_

_W__e'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne._

Once more they were singing the same verse. Everyone was swaying to the music and smiles lay on every face.

Outside snow was softly falling. It was Christmas time and for once it remained a calm night, leaving the squad to celebrate in peace.

**END**

This was my Christmas present to you. Maybe I'll get some, too, from you reviewing.

Have a merry Christmas and if I may borrow Tiny Tim's words:

"_God bless us, everyone."_


End file.
